Cranberry constituents affect fructosyltransferase expression in Streptococcus mutans.
BACKGROUND
Cranberry juice has long been recognized in folk medicine as a therapeutic agent, mainly in urinary tract infections. Its proposed mechanism of action is antiadhesion of bacteria.


OBJECTIVE
Investigation of the potential antiadhesion effect of nondialyzed material of cranberry (NDM) via its influence on secretion, gene expression, and promoter activity of the fructosyltransferase (FTF), which is among the extracellular enzymes associated with dental biofilm formation and pathogenesis of oral bacteria.


METHODS
Secretion of FTF from Streptococcus mutans, in the presence of NDM, was measured by immunoblotting and confocal scanning laser microscopy. Its influence on ftf gene expression was determined by reverse transcription followed by real-time RT-PCR. The luciferase assay was used to detect bioluminescence expressed by the ftf promoter activity of bacteria exposed to NDM.


RESULTS
NDM at concentrations between 0.2/mL and 1mg/mL significantly (P<.05) decreased secretion of extracellular FTF, as well as down-regulated ftf expression in a dose-dependent manner. NDM also markedly reduced the luciferase activity under the ftf promoter.
Feldman
Mark
M
Institute of Dental Sciences, Department of Prosthodontics, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Hebrew University-Hadassah, Jerusalem, Israel.
Weiss
Ervin
E
Shemesh
Moshe
M
Ofek
Itzhak
I
Bachrach
Gilad
G
Rozen
Ramona
R
Steinberg
Doron
D
D001628:Beverages; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D006602:Hexosyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development; D029799:Vaccinium macrocarpon / Q000737:chemistry*
D028321:Plant Preparations; D006602:Hexosyltransferases; C105700:fructan - fructan 6G-fructosyltransferase