Effect of sodium lactate on the growth of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and production of the gene ltxA isolated from aggressive periodontitis patients in Mosul city

Aims:The study aims to determine the effect of different concentrations of sodium lactate (0.015%, 0.025%, 0.05% and 0.075%) in stimulating the growth of Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans isolated from cases of aggressive periodontitis.Methodology and results: These concentrations were added to Dentaid-1 medium.Different concentrations were inoculated with the bacteria under study.The percentage of isolation of A. actinomycetemcomitans was 100% and the diagnosis was done using biochemical tests and confirmed by qPCR with the ltxA gene primer.The results showed that the best growth occurred at 0.075% concentration.The molecular study using qPCR technology showed increased copies of the leukotoxin gene (ltxA) in A. actinomycetemcomitans grown in media containing the concentration 0.075% of sodium lactate compared with isolates grown on Dentaid-1 medium alone.Also, the scanning electron microscope scanning result showed an effect on the outer morphology of the bacteria when grown in the presence of sodium lactate.Conclusion, significance and impact of study: It is concluded that sodium lactate may enhance the leukotoxin virulence factor and increase the harmful effect on the periodontitis condition.