ABSTRACT
The levels of Streptococcus (S.) mutans infections in saliva were evaluated and a comparison for specific antibody levels among children with different levels of S. mutans infection was made. The promising epitopic regions of antigen AgI/II (PAc) and glucosyltransferase (GTF) for potential vaccine targets related to S. mutans adherence were screened. A total of 94 children aged 3-4 years were randomly selected, including 53 caries-negative and 41 caries-positive children. The values of S. mutans and those of salivary total secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA), anti-PAc and anti-Glucan binding domain (anti-GLU) were compared to determine the correlation among them. It was found the level of s-IgA against specific antigens did not increase with increasing severity of S. mutans infection, and the complete amino acid sequence of PAc and GTFB was analyzed using the DNAStar Protean system for developing specific anti-caries vaccines related to S. mutans adherence. A significantly positive correlation between the amount of S. mutans and children decayed, missing, and filled teeth index was observed. No significant difference was detected in specific sIgA against PAc or GLU between any two groups. No significant correlation was found between such specific sIgA and caries index. A total of 16 peptides from PAc as well as 13 peptides from GTFB were chosen for further investigation. S. mutans colonization contributed to early children caries as an important etiological factor. The level of sIgA against specific antigens did not increase with increasing severity of S. mutans infection in children. The epitopes of PAc and GTF have been screened to develop the peptide-based or protein-based anti-caries vaccines.
Subject(s)
Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Male , Antibodies, Bacterial , Antigens, Bacterial , Chemistry , Allergy and Immunology , Bacterial Proteins , Chemistry , Allergy and Immunology , Case-Control Studies , Dental Caries , Allergy and Immunology , Pathology , Epitopes , Chemistry , Allergy and Immunology , Glucosyltransferases , Chemistry , Allergy and Immunology , Immunoglobulin A, Secretory , Peptides , Chemistry , Allergy and Immunology , Saliva , Chemistry , Microbiology , Severity of Illness Index , Streptococcal Vaccines , Chemistry , Allergy and Immunology , Streptococcus mutans , Chemistry , Allergy and Immunology , Virulence , Vaccines, Subunit , Virulence Factors , Chemistry , Allergy and ImmunologyABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate effects of P-glycoprotein (gp) substrate drugs on the expression of CD147 and MMP2 and 9 in multidrug resistant breast cancer cells.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>MDR human breast cancer cell line, MCF7/AdrR, and its sensitive parental line, MCF7, were treated with various concentrations of P-gp substrate drugs, including paclitoxel and vincristine, and P-gp nonsubstrate drugs, bleomycin, in serum-free media. At the end of the treatment, expressions of CD147 and MMP2 and 9 were determined by real-time PCR and western blot.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Increased expressions of CD147 and MMP2 and 9 were observed in multidrug resistant cancer cells compared with their parental MCF7 cells. After treatment with bleomycin, the expression of CD147 and MMP2 and 9 in both MCF7 and MCF7/AdrR cells remained unchanged (P > 0.05). However, treatment with paclitoxel and vincristine resulted in a remarkable over-expression of CD147 and MMP2 and 9 at both transcription and protein levels in MCF7/AdrR cell line (P < 0.05), while MCF7 cells failed to show similar response.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>P-gp substrate drugs can greatly upregulate the expression of CD147 and MMP2 and 9 in multidrug resistant breast cancer cells, therefore enhancing the tumor metastatic capability.</p>