Antibacterial activity of dentine and pulp extracellular matrix extracts

Smith JG, Smith AJ, Shelton RM, Cooper PR. Antibacterial activity of dentine and pulp extracellular matrix extracts. International Endodontic Journal ABSTRACT: Aim  To determine whether extracellular matrix (ECM) preparations from pulp (pECM) and dentine (dECM) possess antimicrobial activity. Methodology  Dentine and pulp ECM preparations were isolated with 10% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), pH 7.2 and sequential use of 0.5 mol L(-1) NaCl, pH 11.7 and 0.1 mol L(-1) tartaric acid, pH 2.0, respectively, with protease inhibitor inclusion throughout. Antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus oralis and Enterococcus faecalis was assessed using turbidity as a measure of bacteria growth. The cytotoxicity of the extracts on primary pulp cells was also determined by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release. Statistical analysis of data was performed using paired student's t-tests. Results  Extracellular matrix extracts from the pulp and dentine showed antibacterial activity against three types of anaerobic bacteria associated with dental disease (P