Flow cytometric analysis of adherence of Porphyromonas gingivalis to oral epithelial cells

Abstract

By using fluorescence microscopy, fluorescently labeled Porphyromonas gingivalis W50 was shown to adhere to oral epithelial (KB) cells as discrete cells or small cell aggregates, whereas P. gingivalis ATCC 33277 bound as large cell aggregates. Flow cytometric analysis showed that for P. gingivalis W50 there was a logarithmic relationship between the bacterial cell ratio (BCR), that is the number of bacterial cells to KB cells, and the percentage of KB cells with W50 cells attached. This percentage of KB cells with W50 attached reached a plateau of ∼84% cells at a BCR of 500:1. In contrast, a quadratic relationship was observed between BCR and the percentage of KB cells with P. gingivalis ATC..