Interactions of Actinomyces naeslundii strains T14V and ATCC 12104 with saliva, collagen and fibrinogen

Abstract

Approximately similar numbers of actinomyces cells adhered to hydroxylapatite beads coated with saliva, collagen or fibrinogen. Adherence generally was unaffected by the presence of free saliva. Binding of cells to collagen- or fibrinogen-coated beads was reduced in the presence of either free collagen or fibrinogen. Glucan inhibited bacterial adherence only to collagen-coated hdyroxylapatite beads. It is suggested that actinomyces bind to saliva-, collagen- or fibrinogen-coated surfaces by different mechanisms, but that these mechanisms involve some common bacterial cell-surface components.