title: Potential involvement of collagen-binding proteins of Streptococcus mutans in infective endocarditis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Streptococcus mutans, a major pathogen of dental caries, is considered to be one of the causative agents of infective endocarditis (IE). Two types of cell surface collagen-binding proteins, Cnm and Cbm, have been identified in the organism. The aim of the present study was to analyze these proteins as possible etiologic factors for IE.
  
  
  METHODS
  The binding activities of S. mutans strains to collagen types I, III, and IV were analyzed relative to the presence of Cnm and Cbm, as were their adhesion and invasion properties with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). In addition, distributions of the genes encoding Cnm and Cbm in S. mutans-positive heart valve specimens extirpated from IE and non-IE patients were analyzed by PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most of the Cbm-positive strains showed higher levels of binding to type I collagen as well as higher rates of adhesion and invasion with HUVEC as compared to the Cnm-positive strains. Furthermore, the gene encoding Cbm was detected significantly more frequently in heart valve specimens from IE patients than from non-IE patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that the collagen-binding protein Cbm of S. mutans may be one of the potential important factor associated with the pathogenesis of IE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Osaka University Graduate School of Dentistry, Suita, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nomura
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Naka
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nemoto
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Inagaki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ooshima
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakano
mesh_terms: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001021:Aortic Valve / Q000382:microbiology; D001422:Bacterial Adhesion; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004697:Endocarditis, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D061307:Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / Q000382:microbiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008943:Mitral Valve / Q000382:microbiology; D011485:Protein Binding; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D018829:Adhesins, Bacterial; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C488758:Cnm protein, Streptococcus mutans; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D003094:Collagen