Targeted Antimicrobial Treatment to Re-establish a Healthy Microbial Flora for Long-term Protection

Abstract

Streptococcus mutans has been implicated as the major acid-producing (cariogenic) bacterium. Dietary sugars and other factors may cause an imbalance of oral microflora that enables S. mutans to become dominant in the multi-species biofilms on the tooth surface, which could lead to dental caries. The application of broad-spectrum antimicrobials often results in re-colonization and re-dominance of S. mutans within oral flora, while in contrast, therapies capable of selective elimination of S. mutans from oral microbial communities may help to re-establish the normal flora and provide long-term protection. C16G2, a novel synthetic antimicrobial peptide with specificity for S. mutans, was found to have robust killing efficacy and selectivity for S. mutans in vitro. A subsequent pilot human study found that a single application of C16G2 in the oral cavity (formulated in a mouthrinse vehicle) was associated with a reduction in plaque and salivary S. mutans, lactic acid production, and enamel demineralization during the entire 4-day testing period. C16G2 is now being developed as a new anticaries drug.

Ecological Approaches to Dental Caries Prevention: Paradigm Shift or Shibboleth?

“…C16 is derived from a fragment of the S. mutans competence stimulating peptide (CSP), while G2 is derived from a broad-spectrum antimicrobial peptide [Eckert et al, 2012]. C16G2 had antimicrobial mechanisms similar to traditional AMPs, and critically, its membrane-disrupting activity specifically targets S. mutans from multispecies biofilms without affecting closely related non-cariogenic oral streptococci [Eckert et al, 2006;Kaplan et al, 2011].…”

Effect of microparticulate silver addition in dental adhesives on secondary caries in vitro

“…Besides, e.g., targeted peptide attacks via mouthrinses, charging of adhesive joints of pre-existing restorations remains interesting to fight against secondary caries [36,37]. The null hypothesis tested was that silver additions would have no effect on secondary caries formation in vitro.…”

Defense peptides: recent developments

“…In regard to the hybrid AMPs design, a novel technology based on specifically targeted antimicrobial peptides (STAMPs) developed for controlling the cariogenic pathogen Streptococcus mutans in oral microbial communities should be mentioned (118,119). A STAMP is a synthetic peptide that contains a pathogen species-specific peptide sequence and a non-specific AMP sequence, which function as targeting and killing domains, respectively.…”