title: Treatment of Streptococcus mutans with antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotides to gtfB mRNA inhibits GtfB expression and function.
abstract: We examined the effects of phosphorothioate-modified antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotides (PS-ODN) targeted to mRNA transcribed from gtfB, which encodes synthesis of water-insoluble glucans in Streptococcus mutans. Treatment of S. mutans with 10 muM antisense PS-ODNs inhibited gtfB mRNA transcription, GtfB expression and water-insoluble glucan synthesis. The architecture of biofilms formed by antisense PS-ODNs-treated S. mutans showed reduced biomass, more dispersed distribution with enlarged interspaces and fewer layers of attached cells. PS-ODN treatment had no effect on the growth of S. mutans. Our results indicated that it might be feasible to use antisense PS-ODN as a novel agent in caries prevention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Biology, College of Stomatology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
authors.forename: Qing-Yu
authors.initials: QY
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Su-Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: Xiu-Li
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Jun-Zheng
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000277:Adjuvants, Pharmaceutic; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics; D018441:Biofilms / Q000187:drug effects; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal / Q000187:drug effects; D005964:Glucosyltransferases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics; D020319:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides, Antisense / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D013873:Thionucleotides / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000277:Adjuvants, Pharmaceutic; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D020319:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides, Antisense; D013873:Thionucleotides; C036655:1,3-alpha-D-glucan synthase; D005964:Glucosyltransferases