Inhibition of Streptococcus mutans biofilm formation by strategies targeting the metabolism of exopolysaccharides

Abstract

Dental caries is one of the most prevalent and costly biofilm-associated infectious diseases affecting most of the world’s population. In particular, dental caries is driven by dysbiosis of the dental biofilm adherent to the enamel surface. Specific types of acid-producing bacteria, especially Streptococcus mutans, colonize the dental surface and cause damage to the hard tooth structure in the presence of fermentable carbohydrates. Streptococcus mutans has been established as the major cariogenic pathogen responsible for human dental caries, with a high ability to form biofilms. The exopolysaccharide (EPS) matrix, mainly contributed by S. mutans, has been considered as a virulence determinant of cariogenic biofilm. As EPS is an important virulence factor, targeting EPS metabolism could be useful in preventing cariogenic biofilm formation. This review summarizes plausible strategies targeting S. mutans biofilms by degrading EPS structure, inhibiting EPS production, and disturbing the EPS metabolism-related gene expression and regulatory systems.

Keywords:

• Biofilm formation
• dental caries
• exopolysaccharides
• glucosyltransferases
• Streptococcus mutans

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Author contributions

X. Zhou, and Y. Li conceived and designed the review structure; and Y. Lin, J. Chen, X. Zhou, and Y. Li draft, and critically revised the manuscript. All authors gave final approval and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a grant from the National Natural Science Foundation of China [31870065].