title: Relationship between the IgA antibody response against Streptococcus mutans GbpB and severity of dental caries in childhood.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Explore the associations between the severity of dental caries in childhood, mutans streptococci (MS) levels and IgA antibody response against Streptococcus mutans GbpB. Moreover, other caries-related etiological factors were also investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  36-60 month-old children were grouped into Caries-Free (CF, n=19), Early Childhood Caries (ECC, n=17) and Severe Early Childhood Caries (S-ECC, n=21). Data from socio-economic-cultural status, oral hygiene habits and dietary patterns were obtained from a questionnaire and a food-frequency diary filled out by parents. Saliva was collected from children for microbiological analysis and detection of salivary IgA antibody reactive with S. mutans GbpB in western blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  S-ECC children had reduced family income compared to those with ECC and CF. There was difference between CF and caries groups (ECC and S-ECC) in MS counts. Positive correlations between salivary IgA antibody response against GbpB and MS counts were found when the entire population was evaluated. When children with high MS counts were compared, S-ECC group showed significantly lower IgA antibody levels to GbpB compared to CF group. This finding was not observed for the ECC group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that children with S-ECC have reduced salivary IgA immune responses to S. mutans GbpB, potentially compromising their ability to modify MS infection and its cariogenic potential. Furthermore, a reduced family income and high levels of MS were also associated with S-ECC.
authors.affiliation: UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, Araçatuba Dental School, Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Public Health, Araçatuba, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Natália Helena
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.affiliation: UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, Araçatuba Dental School, Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Public Health, Araçatuba, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jesse Augusto
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, Araçatuba Dental School, Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Public Health, Araçatuba, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Márjully Eduardo Rodrigues
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.affiliation: UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, Araçatuba Dental School, Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Public Health, Araçatuba, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Laís Fernanda Fonseca
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Ribas
authors.affiliation: Sao Francisco University, Dental School, Laboratory of Microbiology and Molecular Biology, Bragança Paulista, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Thaís Manzano
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Parisotto
authors.affiliation: UNICAMP - University of Campinas, Piracicaba Dental School, Department of Oral Diagnosis, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Renata de Oliveira
authors.initials: Rde O
authors.lastname: Mattos-Graner
authors.affiliation: Forsyth Institute, Department of Immunology and Infectious Disease, Cambridge, MA, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, Araçatuba Dental School, Department of Pediatric Dentistry and Public Health, Araçatuba, SP, Brazil. Electronic address: cristianeduque@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Cristiane
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Duque
mesh_terms: D000917:Antibody Formation; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D058491:Bacterial Load; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology*; D037102:Lectins / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology*; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000276:immunology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory; D037102:Lectins; C037937:glucan-binding proteins
keywords: Early childhood caries; Glucan binding proteins; Imunoglobulin A; S. mutans