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MINI REVIEW article

Front. Oral. Health
Sec. Preventive Dentistry
Volume 5 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/froh.2024.1484005

Silent Signals: How N-Acyl Homoserine Lactones Drive Oral Microbial Behaviour and Health Outcomes

Provisionally accepted
Zelda Ziyi Zhao Zelda Ziyi Zhao 1Lifeng Guo Lifeng Guo 2Wenwen Shan Wenwen Shan 2Chun Hung Chu Chun Hung Chu 1Jing Zhang Jing Zhang 1,2*
  • 1 Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, SAR China
  • 2 Key Laboratory of Oral Disease Research of Anhui Province, Stomatologic Hospital and College, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Background: N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) are small signalling molecules predominantly secreted in Gram-negative bacteria.Objective: To provide a comprehensive overview of AHLs in oral health. Methods: Two independent researchers conducted a systematic search of English language publications up to 30 June 2024 in PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science. Results: This study identified 127 articles and included 42 articles. These studies identified AHLs in human oral samples like saliva, dental plaque, tongue swabs, and dentin caries. The studies also found that AHLs regulate cell-to-cell communication of bacteria (quorum sensing) in mature biofilm fostering the production of virulence factors that damage the immune system. AHLs also exert biological effects on human cells and influence oral diseases such as periodontitis and oral squamous carcinoma. Researchers developed AHL inhibitors to interfere with the quorum sensing process and interrupt the communication between bacteria. These inhibitors can be classified into three main categories based on their mechanisms of action to AHLs: AHL synthesis disruptors, AHL competitive inhibitors and AHL enzymatic degraders. These AHL inhibitors can be important tools in the fight against bacterial infections, particularly those caused by Gram-negative bacteria. Conclusion: AHLs, as quorum sensing molecules, influence bacterial communication. AHLs have a significant impact in bacterial pathogencity and play a potential role in the pathogenesis of oral diseases. Researchers have developed AHL inhibitors to disrupt bacterial quorum sensing, preventing bacteria from forming biofilms or expressing virulence factors. These studies on AHLs represent a new research direction to develop novel therapeutic strategies to manage oral diseases.

    Keywords: acyl-homoserine lactones, Quorum Sensing, microbial interaction, Biofilm, Oral Health, quorum quenching acyl-homoserine lactones, quorum quenching

    Received: 21 Aug 2024; Accepted: 20 Nov 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Zhao, Guo, Shan, Chu and Zhang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Jing Zhang, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong, SAR China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.