Strategies aimed at the prevention of Streptococcus mutans infection and dental caries include mucosal immunization, which results in salivary anti-S. mutans responses. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of nasal vs. tonsillar immunization with S. mutans antigens in inducing salivary immune responses. Twenty-one adult subjects were immunized twice, within a seven-day interval, with a glucosyltransferase-enriched preparation (E-GTF) administered by nasal or tonsillar topical spray. Parotid saliva, nasal wash, and serum were collected prior to and at one- to two-week intervals for 3 months following immunization and were assayed by ELISA for anti-E-GTF activity. Results were analyzed by means of the mixed-models procedure with p < 0.05 level of significance. Significantly higher anti-E-GTF responses were detected in saliva and nasal wash samples from the group immunized by the nasal compared with the tonsillar route, indicating that nasal immunization was more effective in inducing mucosal responses in adults.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2025 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.