Title |
The synthetic human beta-defensin-3 C15 peptide exhibits antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus mutans, both alone and in combination with dental disinfectants |
Author |
Ki Bum Ahn1,2, A Reum Kim1, Kee-Yeon Kum3, Cheol-Heui Yun4, and Seung Hyun Han5* |
Address |
1Department of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, DRI, and BK21 Plus Program, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea, 2Research Division for Biotechnology, Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Jeongeup 56212, Republic of Korea, 3Department of Conservative Dentistry and DRI, School of Dentistry,Seoul National University, Seoul 03080, Republic of Korea, 4Department of Agricultural Biotechnology and Research Institute for Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea, 51Department of Oral Microbiology and Immunology, DRI, and BK21 Plus Program, School of Dentistry, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea |
Bibliography |
Journal of Microbiology, 55(10),830-836, 2017,
|
DOI |
10.1007/s12275-017-7362-y
|
Key Words |
Streptococcus mutans, HBD3, biofilm, antimicrobial
activity, disinfectant |
Abstract |
Streptococcus mutans is a major etiologic agent of human
dental caries that forms biofilms on hard tissues in the human
oral cavity, such as tooth and dentinal surfaces. Human
β-defensin-3 (HBD3) is a 45-amino-acid natural antimicrobial
peptide that has broad spectrum antimicrobial activity
against bacteria and fungi. A synthetic peptide consisting of
the C-terminal 15 amino acids of HBD3 (HBD3-C15) was
recently shown to be sufficient for its antimicrobial activity.
Thus, clinical applications of this peptide have garnered
attention. In this study, we investigated whether HBD3-C15
inhibits the growth of the representative cariogenic pathogen
Streptococcus mutans and its biofilm formation. HBD3-C15
inhibited bacterial growth, exhibited bactericidal activity,
and attenuated bacterial biofilm formation in a dose-dependent
manner. HBD3-C15 potentiated the bactericidal and
anti-biofilm activity of calcium hydroxide (CH) and chlorhexidine
digluconate (CHX), which are representative disinfectants
used in dental clinics, against S. mutans. Moreover,
HBD3-C15 showed antimicrobial activity by inhibiting biofilm
formation by S. mutans and other dentinophilic bacteria
such as Enterococcus faecalis and Streptococcus gordonii,
which are associated with dental caries and endodontic
infection, on human dentin slices. These effects were observed
for HBD3-C15 alone and for HBD3-C15 in combination with
CH or CHX. Therefore, we suggest that HBD3-C15 is a potential
alternative or additive disinfectant that can be used
for the treatment of oral infectious diseases, including dental
caries and endodontic infections. |