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. 2025 Jun 6:6:1573863.
doi: 10.3389/froh.2025.1573863. eCollection 2025.

Quorum sensing in Porphyromonas gingivalis and oral microbial interactions: a scoping review

Zelda Ziyi Zhao #  1 , Wenwen Shan #  2 , Lifeng Guo  2 , Chun Hung Chu  1 , Jing Zhang  1   2
Affiliations

Quorum sensing in Porphyromonas gingivalis and oral microbial interactions: a scoping review

Zelda Ziyi Zhao et al. Front Oral Health. .

Abstract

Objective: Porphyromonas gingivalis, a major periodontal pathogen, interacts with other oral microbes through quorum sensing, enhancing its growth and virulence, which contributes to periodontitis. This scoping review aims to examine the role of quorum sensing in the interactions between P. gingivalis and other oral microbial species.

Methods: Two independent researchers conducted a systematic search using the keywords {[(quorum sensing) OR QS] AND [(Porphyromonas gingivalis) OR P. gingivalis]} for English publications prior to 2025 from Medline, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. They screened titles and abstracts, retrieving full texts of original studies to identify key concepts and findings regarding the quorum sensing of P. gingivalis in oral microbial ecosystems.

Results: A total of 205 publications were identified, of which 26 were included in the review. These studies demonstrated quorum sensing of P. gingivalis and other bacteria through signal molecules Autoinducer-1 and Autoinducer-2. Autoinducer-1 enhances the pathogenicity of P. gingivalis, facilitating its integration into complex oral microbial communities. Autoinducer-2 fosters cooperative or competitive relationships between P. gingivalis and other periodontal pathogens, modifying the structure of oral biofilms. Additionally, researchers are studying the use of quorum sensing inhibitors to reduce the virulence of P. gingivalis for managing periodontitis and restoring microbial balance in the oral cavity.

Conclusion: Quorum sensing enhances the pathogenicity of P. gingivalis in the oral environment. Through the modulation of Autoinducer-1 and Autoinducer-2, quorum sensing regulates interactions between P. gingivalis and other oral microbes. This study demonstrates the need for further research into quorum sensing-targeted interventions in periodontal therapy.

Keywords: Porphyromonas gingivalis; biofilms; microbial interaction; periodontal disease; quorum sensing.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The reviewer IXY declared a shared affiliation with the authors ZZZ, CHC, JZ to the handling editor at the time of [Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong, Sai Ying Pun, Hong Kong SAR, China]. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Diagrams of quorum sensing in P. gingivalis. (A) Modulation of P. gingivalis interactions with other bacterial species by AI-1 (B) commensality of P. gingivalis interactions with S. gordonii by AI-2 (C) promotion of P. gingivalis interactions with F. nucleatum by AI-2 (D) collaboration of P. gingivalis interactions with other bacterial species by AI-2. Created in BioRender. Zhao, Z. (2025) https://BioRender.com/o95s786.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Flowchart of the literature search.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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