Stimulation of in vitro growth of Treponema denticola by extracellular growth factors produced by Porphyromonas gingivalis.

Cell-free culture filtrates of Porphyromonas gingivalis grown in Wilkins-Chalgren broth stimulated the growth of six strains of Treponema denticola in 1186 broth when compared with the effect of uninoculated WC. The pH of the 1186 broth was not altered by the addition of either culture filtrate or WC, and all media were fully reduced prior to inoculation with T. denticola. Growth was also stimulated by factors precipitated from the culture filtrate with 90% (NH4)2SO4, 50% cold ethanol, or 50% cold acetone, and by factors retained after dialysis of the culture filtrate through a membrane with a molecular weight cut-off of 50 kDa. Growth factor activity was eliminated by heating of the culture filtrate at 55 degrees C for 4 h. An ether extract of the culture filtrate containing acetic, butyric, isobutyric, isovaleric, propionic, and phenylacetic acids did not stimulate growth. Since subgingival plaque from periodontal pockets colonized with T. denticola also contains P. gingivalis, certain extracellular proteins with molecular weights greater than 50 kDa produced by P. gingivalis may act as growth factors for T. denticola in the microenvironment of the periodontal pocket.