Gingipains from Porphyromonas gingivalis drive Alzheimer’s pathology and can be blocked with small-molecule inhibitors.

Dental caries is a highly prevalent diet-related disease and is a major public health problem. A goal of modern dentistry is to manage non-cavitated caries lesions non-invasively through remineralization in an attempt to prevent disease progression and improve aesthetics, strength, and function. Remineralization is defined as the process whereby calcium and phosphate ions are supplied from a source external to the tooth to promote ion deposition into crystal voids in demineralized enamel, to produce net mineral gain. Recently, a range of novel calcium-phosphate-based remineralization delivery systems has been developed for clinical application. These delivery systems include crystalline, unstabilized amorphous, or stabilized amorphous formulations of calcium phosphate. These systems are reviewed, and the technology with the most scientific evidence to support its clinical use is the remineralizing system utilizing casein phosphopeptides to stabilize and deliver bioavailable calcium, phosphate, and fluoride ions. The recent clinical evidence for this technology is presented and the mechanism of action discussed. Biomimetic approaches to stabilization of bioavailable calcium, phosphate, and fluoride ions and the localization of these ions to non-cavitated caries lesions for controlled remineralization show promise for the non-invasive management of dental caries.

Casein phosphopeptides (CPP) stabilize amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP), localize ACP in dental plaque, and are anticariogenic in animal and in situ human caries models. In this in vitro study, CPP-stabilized calcium phosphate solutions were shown to remineralize subsurface lesions in human third-molar enamel. Solutions were used to examine the effect of CPP-calcium phosphate concentration on remineralization. Other solutions were used to examine the effect of increasing pH, which decreased the concentrations of free calcium and phosphate ions and increased the level of CPP-bound ACP. Although most of the remineralizing solutions were supersaturated with respect to the amorphous and crystalline calcium phosphate phases, the solutions were stabilized by the CPP such that spontaneous precipitation of calcium phosphate did not occur. After a ten-day remineralization period, enamel lesions were sectioned, subjected to microradiography, and the mineral content determined by microdensitometry. All solutions deposited mineral into the bodies of the lesions, with the 1.0% CPP-calcium phosphate (pH 7.0) solution replacing 63.9 ±20.1% of mineral lost at an averaged rate of 3.9 ± 0.8 x 10^-8 mol hydroxyapatite/m²/s. The remineralizing capacity was greater for the solutions with the higher levels of CPP-stabilized free calcium and phosphate ions. Remineralization was not significantly correlated with either the CPP-bound ACP or the degrees of saturation for hydroxyapatite, octacalcium phosphate, or ACP. However, remineralization was significantly correlated with the degree of saturation for dicalcium phosphate dihydrate (CaHPO₄.2H₂O), but this was attributed to the significant correlation of remineralization with the activity gradients from the solution into the lesion of some calcium phosphate ions and ion pairs, in particular the neutral ion pair CaHPO₄⁰. The CPP, by stabilizing calcium phosphate in solution, maintain high-concentration gradients of calcium and phosphate ions and ion pairs into the subsurface lesion and thus effect high rates of enamel remineralization.

Bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) are extracellular sacs containing biologically active products, such as proteins, cell wall components and toxins. OMVs are reported to contain DNA, however, little is known about the nature of this DNA, nor whether it can be transported into host cells. Our work demonstrates that chromosomal DNA is packaged into OMVs shed by bacteria during exponential phase. Most of this DNA was present on the external surfaces of OMVs, with smaller amounts located internally. The DNA within the internal compartments of Pseudomonas aeruginosa OMVs were consistently enriched in specific regions of the bacterial chromosome, encoding proteins involved in virulence, stress response, antibiotic resistance and metabolism. Furthermore, we demonstrated that OMVs carry DNA into eukaryotic cells, and this DNA was detectable by PCR in the nuclear fraction of cells. These findings suggest a role for OMV-associated DNA in bacterial-host cell interactions and have implications for OMV-based vaccines.

Casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP) nanocomplexes incorporated into sugar-free chewing gum have been shown to remineralize enamel subsurface lesions in situ. The aim of this study was to compare the ability of CPP-ACP, with that of other forms of calcium, to be retained in supragingival plaque and remineralize enamel subsurface lesions in situ when delivered in a mouthrinse or sugar-free gum in randomized, double-blind trials. In the mouthrinse study, only the CPP-ACP-containing mouthrinse significantly increased plaque calcium and inorganic phosphate levels, and the CPP were immunolocalized to the surfaces of bacterial cells as well as the intercellular matrix. In the chewing gum studies, the gum containing the CPP-ACP, although not containing the most calcium per piece of gum, produced the highest level of enamel remineralization independent of gum-chewing frequency and duration. The CPP could be detected in plaque extracts 3 hrs after subjects chewed the CPP-ACP-containing gum. The results showed that CPP-ACP were superior to other forms of calcium in remineralizing enamel subsurface lesions.