The role of Trichomonas
tenax as a pathogen had been clearly implicated in various
pathological processes that arise outside the boundaries of the mouth. Although a relationship between the increased occurrence of this protozoan and progression of
periodontal disease has been demonstrated, the ability of T.
tenax in causing oral
infections and the precise mechanism of tissue damage is not well known. The present study aimed to investigate different isolates of T.
tenax from individuals having oral
infections. Plaques and/or
calculi samples were collected from 70 individuals who were diagnosed as having
periodontitis and/or
gingivitis, then subjected to parasitological examination and culture on modified
trypticase, yeast and
iron medium (TYI-S-33). Isolates successfully maintained in culture were further subjected to analysis of
protein profile of lysates by
Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-
Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and analysis of
proteinases by non-denaturing
gelatin-SDS-PAGE. Comparison of growth kinetics of seven T.
tenax isolates showed a wide variability in the growth characteristics.
Protein profiles of the seven isolates revealed a total 53 bands ranged in molecular weight (MW) from 5 to 95kDa using 12% resolution gel. Also, T.
tenax isolates were found to possess 19
proteinase bands ranged in MW from 14 to 66kDa. The proteolytic bands were intensified by a
cysteine proteinase activator and totally disappeared by treatment with a
cysteine proteinase inhibitor suggesting that the
proteinases were of
cysteine proteinases type. The high frequency of T.
tenax detected (28.6%) along with the variability in
protein profiling and proteolytic activity of the isolates supports the possible pathogenicity of T.
tenax and clarifies a conclusion that different strains with possibility of variable pathogenic potential may exist.