Association of salivary immunoglobulin A antibody and initial mutans streptococcal infection

Abstract

We explored the relationship between mutans streptococcal infection and the development of salivary IgA antibody during initial colonization. Repetitive swabbing (n = 292) of the teeth of 33 children revealed that 45% became infected with mutans streptococci between 13 and 36 months of age. In contrast, mutans streptococci could not be detected in 18 children whose last sample was taken at 39-81 months of age (median age = 62 months). During the period of mutans streptococcal infectivity, immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibody to several mutans streptococcal antigens appeared in most children, whether or not infection had been demonstrated. Robust responses to mutans streptococcal components occurred during or shortly after, but not before the period of mutans streptococcal infectivity. No consistent differences were observed among the summarized patterns of response of infected and uninfected groups of children, although the IgA Western blot patterns of individual subjects were often quite distinct. For example, sets of siblings, who would be presumed to be challenged with similar maternal mutans streptococcal clonotypes, were shown to develop qualitatively different salivary IgA responses to mutans streptococcal components. These results support a discrete period for mutans streptococcal infection and may suggest that the level of maternal infection is a factor in the success of infection of the child during this period. The data also suggest that exposure to mutans streptococci is a sufficient condition for robust mucosal IgA responses to mutans streptococcal antigens during the period of infectivity and that these responses may be different, even among siblings.

Longitudinal Study of Transmission, Diversity, and Stability of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus Genotypes in Brazilian Nursery Children

“…This contradiction is probably because the source of transmission is very variable, depending on behavior: the frequency of salivary contact between mother and child and a mother's salivary MS level mutans streptococci (16) and cultural and environmental conditions of the population studied (8,18,24). Furthermore, variability in transmission can be associated with children's individual susceptibilities, including the period defined as a window of infectivity (5), which was reported to be earlier in Brazilian children (27); the number of erupted teeth (3,5); the emergence of molars (5); the presence of enamel hypoplasia (23); sucrose consumption (27); the action of unspecific factors of the salivary and mucosal immune systems (21); and immunological conditions in children (32).…”

DentalCariesVaccines:Prospects andConcerns

“…Apparently, antibody blockage of an important adhesin epitope during the reconstruction of the dental biofilm following chlorohexidine treatment places indigenous mutans streptococci at an insurmountable competitive disadvantage for recolonization. An interesting parallel may be the observation that young children who do not become naturally infected with mutans streptococci during the "window of infectivity" remain undetectably infected for several years (Caufield et al, 1993;Smith et al, 1998a), potentially because its niche in the dental biofilm has been filled by other indigenous flora. Experimental passive immune protection could also be achieved with antibody to GTF (Hamada et al, 1991) or GbpB (Smith et al, 2001a).…”

“…Protection can be achieved by either subcutaneous injection of GbpB in the salivary gland region (Smith and Taubman, 1996) or by mucosal application by the intranasal route (Smith et al, 1997a). Saliva samples from young children often contain IgA antibody to GbpB, indicating that initial infection with S. mutans can lead to natural induction of immunity to this protein (Smith et al, 1998a). Preliminary studies have shown that GbpA appears to be less immunogenic than GbpB and that its ability to induce protective immunity is problematic (Smith et al, 1997a).…”

“…Its sequence is unrelated to those reported for other S. mutans GTFs or Gbp's, paralleling the lack of reaction of anti-GbpB antibody with these proteins. The N-terminal third contains several immunodominant regions, which may explain the significant apparent immunogenicity of this protein in humans (Smith et al, 1998a) and animals (Smith and 13 (4): 335-349 (2002) Crit Rev Oral Biol Med Figure 4. Association of synthetic peptides with putative regions of glucosyltransferase function.…”

“…More sensitive techniques for microbial detection, e.g., DNA probe technology, have also suggested that mutans streptococci can be found in the oral cavity during the first year of life, especially in cariesprone populations (Milgrom et al, 2000). However, despite the influence of maternal dose, children who do not become infected by approximately three years of age appear to remain uninfected, or minimally colonized for several years (Caufield et al, 1993;Smith et al, 1998a), possibly until new opportunities for colonization occur upon eruption of the secondary dentition. This suggests that a longer-term benefit could ensue if mutans streptococcal colonization could be impeded in early childhood by measures such as immunization.…”