Raffinose Inhibits Streptococcus mutans Biofilm Formation by Targeting Glucosyltransferase

Abstract

Dental caries is the most prevalent infectious disease and is expensive to manage. Dental biofilms can be eliminated via mechanical treatment or inhibited using antibiotics.

Alteration of oral microbial biofilms by sweeteners

“…Bulk and non-nutritive sweeteners have been shown to reduce oral biofilm formation and activity by suppressing the expression of biofilm- and virulence-related genes ( Fig. 3 ) [ [26] , [27] , [28] , 87 ]. In addition, unlike sucrose, bulk and non-nutritive sweeteners cannot be utilized by S. mutans as a substrate for biofilm matrix synthesis, resulting in reduced biofilm formation [ 32 ].…”

“…In addition, bulk sweeteners and non-nutritive sweeteners inhibit biofilm- and virulence-related gene expression, leading to a non-cariogenic biofilm with low levels of polysaccharide. Information obtained from the literature [ 6 , [26] , [27] , [28] , 32 , 87 ]. EPS, extracellular polymeric substances; Gtf, glucosyltransferase.…”

“…In particular, raffinose at 1 μM or higher was also shown to inhibit the formation of mixed biofilms of S. aureus and P. aeruginosa . In particular, raffinose was found to inhibit S. mutans biofilm (formed in a medium supplemented with 10 μM sucrose) formation and Gtf-related gene expression [ 28 ]. In addition, 10 % acesulfame-K and 7.5 % sucralose inhibited the biofilm formation of Porphyromonas gingivalis , an anaerobic periodontal pathogen, and showed bactericidal activity against bacteria within the biofilm [ 88 ].…”

“…Although non-nutritive sweeteners cannot be digested to generate energy, they can be potentially toxic to cells following cellular absorption [ 25 ]. Nevertheless, non-nutritive sweeteners have also been shown recently to be beneficial in managing microbial infections [ [26] , [27] , [28] , [29] , [30] ]. Bulk sweeteners also exhibit antibacterial efficacy against a variety of drug-resistant pathogens [ [31] , [32] , [33] ].…”

Aspects of oral streptococcal metabolic diversity: Imagining the landscape beneath the fog

“…Sucrose stimulates the expression of gtfBC as does interaction with other oral microbiota members (e.g., C. albicans ). However, evidence recently reported suggests that treatment with the trisaccharide raffinose negatively affects Gtf activity and gtf gene expression and biofilm development (Ham et al, 2022), although the mechanisms operating in raffinose‐dependent S. mutans biofilm inhibition are not known.…”