Inhibition of adsorption of oral streptococci to saliva treated hydroxyapatite by chitin derivatives.

This study estimated the effects of five chitin derivatives low molecular chitosan (LMCS), ethyleneglycol chitin (PEGT), carboxymethyl chitin (PCMT), sulphated chitosan (PSSS), and phosphorylated chitin (PPPT) on the adsorption of three oral streptococci to saliva-treated hydroxyapatite (S-HA). The adsorption was evaluated by measuring the optical density of the bacterial cell suspensions released from saliva-treated hydroxyapatite by 0.5 N HCl. The adsorption of test strains to S-HA progressively decreased in proportion to each additional volume of PEGT, PPPT, or PSSS. PPPT and PSSS quite effectively inhibited the adsorption of S. mutans onto S-HA, but were less effective against S. sanguis and S. mitis. PPPT, PSSS, and PCMT all markedly promoted the desorption of S. mutans cells pre-adsorbed onto S-HA. Pretreatment of S-HA with PPPT, PSSS, or PCMT significantly decreased the subsequent adsorption of S. mutans and S. mitis. Pretreatment of these cells with PEGT also decreased their adsorption to S-HA. These findings suggest that these chitin derivatives may change the ionic natures of the S-HA and the bacterial cell surface, resulting in a less favorable interaction.