title: Human lactoferrin protects against Streptococcus mutans-induced caries in mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study is to evaluate the importance of human lactoferrin (hLF) in an experimental caries induced by Streptococcus mutans in a lactoferrin-knockout (LFKO(-/-)) mouse model compared with C576J/BL wild-type (WT) mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  The WT and LFKO(-/-) mice were infected with S. mutans (1 × 10(8) cells) and/or sham infection. Furthermore, the effect of hLF administration was evaluated in LFKO(-/-) mice infected with S. mutans. Mice were assessed for colonization, salivary pH, and caries development.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that the lactoferrin-knockout infected (LFKO(-/-) I) mice had significantly higher colonization with S. mutans (P = 0.02), lower salivary pH (P = 0.01), and more carious lesions (P = 0.01) when compared to wild-type infected (WTI) mice. In addition, the administration of hLF did not show any evidence of S. mutans colonization as well as carious lesions (P = 0.001) in LFKO(-/-) I mice when compared to untreated LFKO(-/-) I mice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results show that endogenous LF protects against S. mutans-induced caries and that exogenous hLF can exert a protective effect against caries development.
authors.affiliation: RUTGERS School of Dental Medicine, Newark, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: S K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Velusamy
authors.affiliation: RUTGERS School of Dental Medicine, Newark, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Markowitz
authors.affiliation: RUTGERS School of Dental Medicine, Newark, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Fine
authors.affiliation: RUTGERS School of Dental Medicine, Newark, NJ, USA.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Velliyagounder
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000235:genetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013295:Streptococcus mutans
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D007781:Lactoferrin
keywords: Streptococcus mutans; dental caries; human lactoferrin; lactoferrin-knockout mice