Effect of specific antisera upon Streptococcus mutans adherence to saliva-coated hydroxylapatite
Open Access
- 1 December 1984
- journal article
- Published by Oxford University Press (OUP) in FEMS Microbiology Letters
- Vol. 25 (2-3) , 211-214
- https://doi.org/10.1016/0378-1097(84)90120-4
Abstract
IgG fractions of antisera against Streptococcus mutans cell-surface protein antigens A and B were used to examine the role of these molecules in adherence to saliva-coated hydroxylapatite. Anti-B antibody inhibited S. mutans adherence by 20–50% depending upon the strain used, while anti-A antibody was without effect. Some IgG-mediated agglutination of cells occurred in the course of these experiments which was overcome by using Fab fragments prepared from the anti-A and anti-B IgG's. Anti-B Fab inhibited S. mutans adherence by 50% but anti-A Fab had no effect. These observations suggest that antigen B is an important factor in the adherence of S. mutans to saliva-coated hydroxylapatite.Keywords
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