fumaric-acid and Dental-Plaque

Dental caries is initiated by demineralization of the tooth surface through acid production by sugar metabolism of supragingival plaque microflora. To elucidate the sugar metabolic system, we used CE-MS to perform metabolomics of the central carbon metabolism, the EMP pathway, the pentose-phosphate pathway, and the TCA cycle in supra- gingival plaque and representative oral bacteria, Streptococcus and Actinomyces. Supragingival plaque contained all the targeted metabolites in the central carbon metabolism, except erythrose 4-phosphate in the pentose-phosphate pathway. After glucose rinse, glucose 6-phosphate, fructose 6-phosphate, fructose 1,6-bisphosphate, dihydroxyacetone phosphate, and pyruvate in the EMP pathway and 6-phosphogluconate, ribulose 5-phosphate, and sedoheptulose 7-phosphate in the pentose-phosphate pathway, and acetyl CoA were increased. Meanwhile, 3-phosphoglycerate and phosphoenolpyruvate in the EMP pathway and succinate, fumarate, and malate in the TCA cycle were decreased. These pathways and changes in metabolites observed in supragingival plaque were similar to the integration of metabolite profiles in Streptococcus and Actinomyces.

Topics: Acetyl Coenzyme A; Actinomyces; Adult; Bacteriological Techniques; Carbon; Citric Acid Cycle; Dental Plaque; Dihydroxyacetone Phosphate; Female; Fructosediphosphates; Fructosephosphates; Fumarates; Gluconates; Glucose; Glucose-6-Phosphate; Glyceric Acids; Glycolysis; Humans; Malates; Male; Metabolomics; Pentose Phosphate Pathway; Phosphoenolpyruvate; Pyruvic Acid; Ribulosephosphates; Streptococcus; Streptococcus mutans; Succinic Acid; Sugar Phosphates

The sorbitol fermentation by Actinomyces viscosus and Actinomyces naeslundii was studied with washed sorbitol-grown cells. The fermentation was followed by titration of acids produced at pH 7.0 under anaerobic conditions. Metabolic end-products and intracellular levels of NAD, NADH and glycolytic intermediates during the fermentation were also analyzed. Cell extracts were examined for certain enzyme activities. Bicarbonate was required for acid production from sorbitol and from a mixture of glucose and sorbitol. Malate and fumarate could also support the acid production of A. viscosus. The main end-products were succinate and lactate but not ethanol. Cell extracts showed no activities of alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenases, but they had activities of malate dehydrogenase and fumarate reductase. In the absence of bicarbonate, malate or fumarate, the intracellular NADH/NAD ratio increased and the levels of 3- and 2-phosphoglycerate and phosphoenolpyruvate decreased. The results indicate that oral sorbitol-fermenting actinomyces lack the ethanol pathway that can contribute to NADH oxidation. To maintain intracellular redox balance during anaerobic sorbitol fermentation, these bacteria can oxidize surplus NADH through a succinate pathway.

Topics: Actinomyces; Actinomyces viscosus; Dental Plaque; Fermentation; Fumarates; Glucose; Glycolysis; Humans; Lactates; Maleates; NAD; Sodium Bicarbonate; Sorbitol; Succinates