Affiliation:
1. State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases & National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases West China Hospital of Stomatology Sichuan University Chengdu Sichuan China
2. West China School of Public Health and West China Fourth Hospital Sichuan University Chengdu Sichuan China
3. Section of Infectious Diseases Department of Internal Medicine Yale University School of Medicine New Haven Connecticut USA
Abstract
AbstractNumerous cellular processes are regulated in response to the metabolic state of the cell, and one such regulatory mechanism involves lysine acetylation. Lysine acetylation has been proven to play an important role in the virulence of Streptococcus mutans, a major cariogenic bacterial species. S. mutans’ glucosyltransferases (Gtfs) are responsible for synthesizing extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) and contributing to biofilm formation. One of the most common nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs is acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), which can acetylate proteins through a nonenzymatic transacetylation reaction. Herein, we investigated the inhibitory effects of ASA on S. mutans. ASA treatment was observed to impede the growth of S. mutans, leading to a reduction in the production of water‐insoluble EPS and the formation of biofilm. Moreover, ASA decreased the enzyme activity of Gtfs while increasing the protein acetylation level. The in vivo anticaries efficacy of ASA has further been proved using the rat caries model. In conclusion, ASA as an acetylation agent attenuated the cariogenic virulence of S. mutans, suggesting the potential value of protein acetylation on antimicrobial and anti‐biofilm applications to S. mutans.
Funder
National Natural Science Foundation of China
Sichuan Province Science and Technology Support Program
State Key Laboratory of Oral Disease
Subject
Microbiology (medical),General Dentistry,Immunology,Microbiology