Efficacy of drugs associated with nanotechnology for control of cariogenic biofilms

• Grant number: 18/01429-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): May 01, 2018
• Effective date (End): November 30, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Dentistry - Dental Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Marlise Inêz Klein Furlan
• Grantee: Guilherme Roncari Rocha
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Odontologia (FOAr). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Araraquara. Araraquara , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 19/22316-6 - Efficacy of drugs associated with nanotechnology for control of cariogenic biofilms, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

The development of effective therapies for oral biofilm control is challenging. Topical agents used to treat and prevent oral diseases are not kept in the mouth for a sufficient time; consequently, they can't exert their maximum therapeutic potential. Therefore, Nanoparticles Carrier (NPC) for drug delivery were developed that bind to the surface of hydroxyapatite (the main mineral of teeth), salivary pellicle and exopolysaccharides (main components of cariogenic biofilm' extracellular matrix). These NPCs have responsive elements to pH changes controlling the release of a drug into acidic niches found in pathogenic biofilms. For example, tt-farnesol (a drug that can hinder Streptococcus mutans virulence factors) can be successfully loaded and released by NPCs. The mixed-species biofilm of S. mutans and Candida albicans is extremely pathogenic, with rapid structural development and increased production of matrix rich in exopolysaccharides and of acids via metabolism of dietary sugars. Hence, the objective is to investigate whether the association with other drugs would help tt-farnesol loaded into NPCs to better control cariogenic biofilm, reducing the pathogenic potential by acting on more virulence factors. Thus, the NPCs will be modified (chemistry and structure) to carry other drugs (i.e., myricetin and fluoride) to perform topical treatments of mixed pathogenic biofilms. The efficacy of the treatments will be demonstrated by microbiological tests (counting of colony forming units), assessment of virulence gene expression of (via RT-qPCR of 9 bacteria and 10 fungi genes), biochemical assays (characterization of extracellular matrix) and confocal microscopy (biofilm's 3D architecture). Statistical tests will be applied according to distribution to interpret the results, adopting a 5% significance level. It is expected to understand how the biofilms react to the proposed treatments, aiming to reduce virulence. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

RONCARI ROCHA, GUILHERME; SIMS, JR., KENNETH R.; XIAO, BAIXUE; KLEIN, MARLISE I.; BENOIT, DANIELLE S. W.. Nanoparticle carrier co-delivery of complementary antibiofilm drugs abrogates dual species cariogenic biofilm formation in vitro. JOURNAL OF ORAL MICROBIOLOGY, v. 14, n. 1, JAN 1 2022. (19/22316-6, 18/01429-4)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

ROCHA, Guilherme Roncari. Strategy with tt-farnesol, myricetin and compound 1771 associated with nanoparticle carries is effective to preventing cariogenic biofilms formed by Streptococcus mutans and Candida albicans in vitro. 2021. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Faculdade de Odontologia. Araraquara Araraquara.