Novel effect of plant lectins on the inhibition ofStreptococcus mutansbiofilm formation on saliva-coated surface

Abstract

Aims: Dental caries is caused by the disturbance in oral homeostasis, marked by a notable increase in the population of Streptococcus mutans. Lectins are a group of plant proteins that are capable of recognizing the glycoconjugates present on the bacterial surface. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of seven plant lectins on the growth and initial adhesion of S. mutans. Methods and Results: Lectins of different carbohydrate specificities were isolated from plant sources by conventional methods of protein purification. The effect on growth of S. mutans was evaluated following CLSI guidelines. None of the lectins used in this study inhibited the bacterial growth and multiplication. The adherence and biofilm formation of bacteria to saliva‐coated polystyrene plates was tested in the presence of plant lectins. All the plant lectins tested, inhibited both the adherence and biofilm in a concentration dependent manner. Confocal microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were employed to assess the biofilm formation in the presence of plant lectin (glucose/mannose‐specific) at sub‐minimal inhibitory concentrations. These evaluations revealed that lectins inhibited the clumping and attachment of S. mutans. Conclusions: Lectins tested here inhibited initial biofilm formation by S. mutans. Glucose/Mannose‐specific lectin altered the adhesion arrangement of the bacteria on the saliva‐coated surfaces. Significance and Impact of the Study: The plant lectins used in this study may offer a novel strategy to reduce development of dental caries by inhibiting the initial adhesion and subsequent biofilm formation of S. mutans.

Activity of solvent extracts of Prosopis spicigera, Zingiber officinale and Trachyspermum ammi against multidrug resistant bacterial and fungal strains

“…There exists vast literature on the antiviral, anticariogenic, anthemintic, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and antimolluscal properties of different plants parts [13][14][15][16][17]. Their uses as remedies for many infectious diseases as well as searches for additional substances in plants with antimicrobial activity are frequent [18].…”

Carbohydrate Mediated Bacterial Adhesion

“…In a recent study, the role of various plant lectins from edible sources on initial bacterial adhesion was tested (Islam et al, 2009). The lectins chosen had binding specificities for mannose, glucose, GlcNAc and GalNAc.…”

Optimization of four types of antimicrobial agents to increase the inhibitory ability of marine Arthrobacter oxydans KQ11 dextranase mouthwash

“…Dental plaque is a common human disease resulting from a biofi lm that forms on the surface of teeth (Koo et al, 2010). When food particles ferment, acid is produced through the fermentation of carbohydrates (Marotta et al, 2002;Islam et al, 2009;Dong et al, 2012). The resulting acidic condition is characterized by an overgrowth of opportunistic pathogens including Streptococcus mutans , the main culture found in dental plaque biofi lm.…”