Phenotypic and Genotypic Characterization of Streptococcus mutans Strains Isolated from Endodontic Infections

Autor(es)

Lima, Augusto R. ^{[1, 2]} ; Ganguly, Tridib ^[1] ; Walker, Alejandro R. ^[1] ; Acosta, Natalia ^[1] ; Francisco, Priscila A. ^[2] ; Pileggi, Roberta ^[3] ; Lemos, Jose A. ^[1] ; Gomes, Brenda P. F. A. ^[2] ; Abranches, Jacqueline ^[1]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Florida, Dept Oral Biol, Gainesville, FL 32610 - USA

^[2] Univ Estadual Campinas, Piracicaba Dent Sch, Endodont Div, Dept Restorat Dent, Piracicaba, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Florida, Dept Endodont, Gainesville, FL - USA

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: JOURNAL OF ENDODONTICS; v. 46, n. 12, p. 1876-1883, DEC 2020.
• Citações Web of Science: 0

Resumo

Streptococcus mutans plays an important role in caries etiology and eventually in systemic infections. However, it is often found in infected root canals, but the pathophysiological characteristics of strains residing in this site are largely unknown. Here, we characterized strains of S. mutans isolated from root canals of primary (PI) and secondary/persistent (SI) endodontic infections in relation to serotype and genotype; presence of genes coding for collagen binding proteins (CBPs); collagen binding activity and biofilm formation capacity; ability to withstand environmental stresses; systemic virulence in Galleria mellonella; and invasion of human coronary artery endothelial cells and human dental pupal fibroblasts. Samples from 10 patients with PI and 10 patients with SI were collected, and a total of 14 S. mutans isolates, belonging to 3 genotypes, were obtained. Of these, 13 were serotype c, and 1 was serotype k. When compared with the reference strains, the clinical isolates were hypersensitive to hydrogen peroxide. Remarkably, all 14 strains harbored and expressed the CBP-encoding gene cbm, showing increased binding to collagen, enhanced systemic virulence in G. mellonella, and ability to invade human coronary artery endothelial cells and human dental pupal fibroblasts when compared with CBP-negative strains. Whole genome sequence analysis of PI and SI isolates revealed that these strains are phylogenetically related but genetically distinct from each other. Our findings highlight the importance of CBPs in facilitating colonization and persistence of S. mutans in collagenous substrates such as root canals and their potential role in the pathogenesis of endodontic infections. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 15/23479-5 - Microbiomas e aspectos imunobiológicos nas infecções endodônticas
• Beneficiário: Brenda Paula Figueiredo de Almeida Gomes
• Linha de fomento: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Temático
• Processo FAPESP: 16/23950-2 - Monitoramento do conteúdo infeccioso, endotóxico e da presença de genes de resistência a antibióticos de infecções primárias sintomáticas e assintomáticas durante a terapia endodôntica
• Beneficiário: Augusto Rodrigues Lima
• Linha de fomento: Bolsas no Brasil - Doutorado
• Processo FAPESP: 18/09270-4 - Análise do perfil microbiológico utilizando a tecnologia de Nanopore e caracterização de cepas isoladas de S. mutans de infecções endodônticas primárias
• Beneficiário: Augusto Rodrigues Lima
• Linha de fomento: Bolsas no Exterior - Estágio de Pesquisa - Doutorado