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Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, October 2007, p. 3634-3641, Vol. 51, No. 10
0066-4804/07/$08.00+0 doi:10.1128/AAC.00380-07
Copyright © 2007, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Biological Science Laboratories, Kao Corporation, Tochigi, Japan,1 Materials Development Research Laboratories, Kao Corporation, Wakayama, Japan,2 Safety and Microbial Control Research Center, Kao Corporation, Tochigi, Japan,3 Health Care Products Research Laboratories No. 1, Kao Corporation, Tokyo, Japan,4 Department of Clinical Pathophysiology, Tokyo Dental College, Chiba, Japan,5 Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Tokyo Dental College, Chiba, Japan6
Received 21 March 2007/ Returned for modification 19 April 2007/ Accepted 15 July 2007
Initial attachment of the cariogenic Streptococcus mutans onto dental enamel is largely promoted by the adsorption of specific salivary proteins on enamel surface. Some phosphorylated salivary proteins were found to reduce S. mutans adhesion by competitively inhibiting the adsorption of S. mutans-binding salivary glycoproteins to hydroxyapatite (HA). The aim of this study was to develop antiadherence compounds for preventing dental biofilm development. We synthesized phosphorylated polyethylene glycol (PEG) derivatives and examined the possibility of surface pretreatment with them for preventing S. mutans adhesion in vitro and dental biofilm formation in vivo. Pretreatment of the HA surface with methacryloyloxydecyl phosphate (MDP)-PEG prior to saliva incubation hydrophilized the surface and thereby reduced salivary protein adsorption and saliva-promoted bacterial attachment to HA. However, when MDP-PEG was added to the saliva-pretreated HA (S-HA) surface, its inhibitory effect on bacterial binding was completely diminished. S. mutans adhesion onto S-HA was successfully reduced by treatment of the surface with pyrophosphate (PP), which desorbs salivary components from S-HA. Treatment of S-HA surfaces with MDP-PEG plus PP completely inhibited saliva-promoted S. mutans adhesion even when followed by additional saliva treatment. Finally, mouthwash with MDP-PEG plus PP prevented de novo biofilm development after thorough teeth cleaning in humans compared to either water or PP alone. We conclude that MDP-PEG plus PP has the potential for use as an antiadherence agent that prevents dental biofilm development.
Published ahead of print on 23 July 2007.
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