title: The role of anti-PAc (361-386) peptide SIgA antibody in professional oral hygiene of the elderly.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Measurement of salivary IgA antibody (PAc-peptide antibody, PPA) to amino acid residues 361-386 of Streptococcus mutans PAc, which possess a multiple binding motif to various HLA-DR molecules and a B-cell epitope that recognises the inhibiting antibody to S. mutans, is an indicator for the population numbers of mutans streptococci (MS) in human saliva. The purpose of this study was to clarify the role of PPA in infection control of MS after professional oral hygiene care.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-nine dependently living institutionalised elderly subjects (75.9 +/- 7.5 years; 10 males, 29 females) participated in the study. The measurements of PPA, MS, total streptococci (TS) and lactobacilli (LB) were performed by ELISA and culture techniques from saliva, plaque and tongue samples from the elderly.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After treatment using professional oral care, the numbers of MS decreased significantly at 6 months in saliva and tongue samples from the group not having PPA in comparison with the primary data; whereas in the PPA-detected group, a significant decrease in MS number was shown immediately following professional care at 1-12 months in all samples. There was little difference in the numbers of LB at any of the time points. The numbers of TS decreased rapidly in PPA-not detected group in comparison with the PPA-detected group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PPA may be more effective for controlling MS number in the oral cavity after professional treatment. The measurement of PPA may be used for preventive instruction to dental caries at the chair side in the clinical setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gerodontology, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Inaba
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uematsu
authors.forename: Yoshihide
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishiyama
authors.forename: Haruo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Hidenobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Senpuku
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004245:DMF Index; D016321:Dental Care for Aged / Q000379:methods*; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D044622:Dental Pellicle / Q000378:metabolism; D003773:Dental Plaque / Q000382:microbiology; D003777:Dental Prophylaxis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009735:Nursing Homes; D012463:Saliva / Q000382:microbiology*; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000276:immunology*; D014059:Tongue / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory