Evidence map›Paper›PMID 26977924›Full record

ArticlePloS one2016

Profound Effects of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans Leukotoxin Mutation on Adherence Properties Are Clarified in in vitro Experiments.

Senthil Kumar Velusamy, Vandana Sampathkumar, Dipti Godboley, Daniel H Fine

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed
1.5field-weighted citation impact, top 19% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Journal of oral microbiology · 2026
    Review
  3. Molecular Analysis ofPathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024
    Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Review
  7. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America · 2019
    Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.

Senthil Kumar VelusamyDepartment of Oral Biology, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, 185 South Orange Ave, Newark, New Jersey, United States of America.
Vandana SampathkumarDepartment of Oral Biology, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, 185 South Orange Ave, Newark, New Jersey, United States of America.
Dipti GodboleyDepartment of Oral Biology, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, 185 South Orange Ave, Newark, New Jersey, United States of America.
Daniel H FineDepartment of Oral Biology, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, 185 South Orange Ave, Newark, New Jersey, United States of America.
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey · US

Funding

Oral Colonization of Aggregatibacter in PrimatesR21DE021172 · NIDCR · UNIV OF MED/DENT OF NJ-NJ DENTAL SCHOOL · PI FINE, DANIEL H · 2011 to 2012
$373k
NIDCR NIH HHS 1R21DE021172-01A1NIDCR NIH HHS R21 DE021172
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Leukotoxin (Ltx) is a prominent virulence factor produced by Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, an oral microorganism highly associated with aggressive periodontitis. Ltx compromises host responsiveness by altering the viability of neutrophils, lymphocytes, and macrophages. Previously, we developed a Rhesus (Rh) monkey colonization model designed to determine the effect of virulence gene mutations on colonization of A. actinomycetemcomitans. Unexpectedly, an A. actinomycetemcomitans leukotoxin (ltxA) mutant (RhAa-VS2) failed to colonize in the Rh model. No previous literature suggested that Ltx was associated with A. actinomycetemcomitans binding to tooth surfaces. These results led us to explore the broad effects of the ltxA mutation in vitro. Results indicated that LtxA activity was completely abolished in RhAa-VS2 strain, while complementation significantly (P<0.0001) restored leukotoxicity compared to RhAa-VS2 strain. RT-PCR analysis of ltx gene expression ruled out polar effects. Furthermore, binding of RhAa-VS2 to salivary-coated hydroxyapatite (SHA) was significantly decreased (P<0.0001) compared to wild type RhAa3 strain. Real time RT-PCR analysis of the genes related to SHA binding in RhAa-VS2 showed that genes related to binding were downregulated [rcpA (P = 0.018), rcpB (P = 0.02), tadA (P = 0.002)] as compared to wild type RhAa3. RhAa-VS2 also exhibited decreased biofilm depth (P = 0.008) and exo-polysaccharide production (P<0.0001). Buccal epithelial cell (BEC) binding of RhAa-VS2 was unaffected. Complementation with ltxA restored binding to SHA (P<0.002) but had no effect on biofilm formation when compared to RhAa3. In conclusion, mutation of ltxA diminished hard tissue binding in vitro, which helps explain the previous in vivo failure of a ltxA knockout to colonize the Rh oral cavity. These results suggest that; 1) one specific gene knockout (in this case ltxA) could affect other seemingly unrelated genes (such as rcpA, rcpB tadA etc), and 2) some caution should be used when interpreting the effect attributed to targeted gene mutations when seen in a competitive in vivo environment.

Indexed as

MutationAggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitansAnimalsBacterial ToxinsEpithelial CellsExotoxinsHumansMacaca mulattaVirulence FactorsBacterial ToxinsExotoxinsleukotoxinVirulence Factors

Identifiers

PMID26977924
PMCPMC4792451
OpenAlexW2302456409

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.