title: Immunogenicity and prediction of epitopic region of antigen Ag I/II and glucosyltransferase from Streptococcus mutans.
abstract: The levels of Streptococcus (S.) mutans infections in saliva were evaluated and a comparison for specific antibody levels among children with different levels of S. mutans infection was made. The promising epitopic regions of antigen AgI/II (PAc) and glucosyltransferase (GTF) for potential vaccine targets related to S. mutans adherence were screened. A total of 94 children aged 3-4 years were randomly selected, including 53 caries-negative and 41 caries-positive children. The values of S. mutans and those of salivary total secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA), anti-PAc and anti-Glucan binding domain (anti-GLU) were compared to determine the correlation among them. It was found the level of s-IgA against specific antigens did not increase with increasing severity of S. mutans infection, and the complete amino acid sequence of PAc and GTFB was analyzed using the DNAStar Protean system for developing specific anti-caries vaccines related to S. mutans adherence. A significantly positive correlation between the amount of S. mutans and children decayed, missing, and filled teeth index was observed. No significant difference was detected in specific sIgA against PAc or GLU between any two groups. No significant correlation was found between such specific sIgA and caries index. A total of 16 peptides from PAc as well as 13 peptides from GTFB were chosen for further investigation. S. mutans colonization contributed to early children caries as an important etiological factor. The level of sIgA against specific antigens did not increase with increasing severity of S. mutans infection in children. The epitopes of PAc and GTF have been screened to develop the peptide-based or protein-based anti-caries vaccines.
authors.affiliation: The State Key Laboratory Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-Most) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China.
authors.forename: Xi-Xi
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Implantology, Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350002, China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Implantology, Affiliated Stomatological Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350002, China.
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: The State Key Laboratory Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-Most) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China. liyuhong_an@yahoo.com.cn.
authors.forename: Yu-Hong
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: The State Key Laboratory Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-Most) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430079, China. fmwmail@whu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Ming-Wen
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000939:Epitopes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005964:Glucosyltransferases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry / Q000382:microbiology; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D022541:Streptococcal Vaccines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D022223:Vaccines, Subunit; D037521:Virulence Factors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D000939:Epitopes; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory; D010455:Peptides; D022541:Streptococcal Vaccines; D022223:Vaccines, Subunit; D037521:Virulence Factors; D005964:Glucosyltransferases
keywords: Streptococcus mutans; anti-caries vaccine; bioinformatics; secretory immunoglobulin A