Phage Targeting <i>Streptococcus mutans</i> In Vitro and In Vivo as a Caries-Preventive Modality
Dental caries is a common infectious disease worldwide. Current conventional therapies lack specific antimicrobial effects against <i>Streptococcus mutans</i>, a key bacterium that induces caries. A promising alternative approach is bacteriophage (phage) therapy. Recently, SMHBZ8 phage t...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Book |
| Published: |
MDPI AG,
2021-08-01T00:00:00Z.
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Connect to this object online. |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | Dental caries is a common infectious disease worldwide. Current conventional therapies lack specific antimicrobial effects against <i>Streptococcus mutans</i>, a key bacterium that induces caries. A promising alternative approach is bacteriophage (phage) therapy. Recently, SMHBZ8 phage targeting <i>S. mutans</i> was isolated and characterized. The aim of this study was to evaluate the caries-prevention efficacy of SMHBZ8 using in vitro and in vivo caries models. Hemi-mandibles dissected from euthanized healthy mice were subjected to caries-promoting conditions in vitro. Jaws treated with phage therapy in suspension and in formulation with a sustained-release delivery system showed no carious lesions, similar to control and chlorhexidine-treated jaws. Subsequently, SMHBZ8 phage suspension also prevented carious lesion development in a murine caries model in vivo. In both models, caries lesions were analyzed clinically and radiographically by µCT scans. This study shows how SMHBZ8 phage therapy targeting <i>S. mutans</i> can serve as an efficient caries-prevention modality, in suspension or with a sustained-release delivery system, by in vitro and in vivo mouse models. |
|---|---|
| Item Description: | 10.3390/antibiotics10081015 2079-6382 |