title: Protective efficacy of a targeted anti-caries DNA plasmid against cariogenic bacteria infections.
abstract: We have previously reported that a targeted anti-caries DNA plasmid pGJA-P/VAX which was constructed against the antigenic determinants of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) successfully induced antibody responses in mice and monkeys. The present study explored the protective efficacy of pGJA-P/VAX against cariogenic bacterial challenge. Groups of rats were orally challenged with S. mutans or Streptococcus sobrinus (S. sobrinus) and then immunized with pGJA-P/VAX or the vector pVAX1 intranasally. Serum IgG and salivary IgA antibody levels were assessed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and caries activity was evaluated by the Keyes method. The results showed that specific salivary IgA antibody responses were induced following intranasal vaccination with pGJA-P/VAX. Moreover, immunization with pGJA-P/VAX resulted in significantly reduced enamel and dentinal caries lesions in rats after S. mutans infection and significantly reduced enamel caries lesions after S. sobrinus infection. Thus, pGJA-P/VAX was not only protective toward S. mutans infection, but also provided cross-strain protection against S. sobrinus infection in rats.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Oral Biomedical Engineering of Ministry of Education, School&hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Luoyu Road 237, 430079 Wuhan, Hubei, China.
authors.forename: Q A
authors.initials: QA
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bian
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Guo
mesh_terms: D000281:Administration, Intranasal; D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D003429:Cross Reactions; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D010957:Plasmids / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013291:Streptococcus / Q000276:immunology; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000276:immunology; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D019444:Vaccines, DNA