Effects of nano-hydroxyapatite on the formation of biofilms by Streptococcus mutans in two different media

• Published in: Archives of oral biology 2019-11, Vol.107, p.104484-104484, Article 104484
• Main Authors: Park, Miseon, Sutherland, John B., Rafii, Fatemeh
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biofilm; Biofilms - drug effects; Culture Media - chemistry; Dental Caries; Dentistry; Durapatite - pharmacology; Glucosyltransferase; Glucosyltransferases; Nano-hydroxyapatite; Nanoparticles; Polysaccharide; Streptococcus mutans; Streptococcus mutans - drug effects; Streptococcus mutans - growth & development
• ISSN: 0003-9969; 1879-1506
• DOI: 10.1016/j.archoralbio.2019.104484

•nHA increased the growth of Streptococcus mutans in the presence of sucrose.•nHA upregulated the transcription of glucosyltransferase (gtf) genes in S. mutans.•nHA enhanced biofilm formation by S. mutans more in BMM than in BHI medium. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of nano-hydroxyapatite (nHA) on biofilm formation by Streptococcus mutans, which is actively involved in the initiation of dental caries. The effects of nHA on growth and biofilm formation by S. mutans were investigated in two media: a saliva analog medium, basal medium mucin (BMM); and a nutrient-rich medium, brain heart infusion (BHI); in the presence and absence of sucrose. Sucrose enhanced the growth of S. mutans in both media. In the presence of sucrose, nHA enhanced bacterial growth and biofilm formation more in BMM medium than in BHI. nHA also affected the transcription of glucosyltransferase (gtf) genes and production of polysaccharide differently in the two media. In BHI medium, the transcription of all three gtf genes, coding for enzymes that synthesize soluble and insoluble glucans from sucrose, was increased more than 3-fold by nHA. However, in BMM medium, only the transcription of gtfB and gtfC, coding for insoluble glucans, was substantially enhanced by nHA. nHA appeared to enhance biofilm formation by increasing glucosyltransferase transcription, which resulted in an increase in production of insoluble glucans. This effect was influenced by the growth conditions.