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Assessment of Human Immune Response to Mutans Streptococcal Glucosyltransferase Peptides Selected by MHC Class II Binding Probability

  • Special Issue: Peptides in Oral and Dental Research
  • Published:
International Journal of Peptide Research and Therapeutics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Dental decay is a major public health challenge, causing substantial social and economic burdens. In animals, vaccination against mutans streptococci, the causative organism, interferes with dental caries. The mutans streptococcal glucosyltransferase (GTF) has been effectively used as a protein antigen in experimental dental caries vaccines. Compared to whole proteins, peptide subunits can focus immune responses on protective epitopes, and not on potentially harmful cross reactive antigens. In the past we selected peptide subunits of GTF for vaccine discovery based on putative functional significance and conservation of GTF primary structure. To focus on the immunogenicity of peptides, we estimated the probability of MHC class II binding. Twenty 20-mer linear GTF peptides were synthesized on this basis and their immunoreactivity explored. Significant human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC; n = 12) proliferation was observed in response to amino acids (AA) 502–521 (peptide 7), located in the catalytic domain of GTF. Human serum (n = 36) antibody reactivity was observed to AA 438–457 (peptide 5), AA 502–521 (peptide 7), and AA 1376–1395 (peptide 16). Whole saliva mutans streptococcal levels were used as markers of mutans infection, and dental examinations to determine existing and historic caries (DMFS score) were performed. DMFS scores correlated with mutans streptococcal counts, but not with immune responses. We have identified peptides with projected avid MHC-binding activity that reacted with human PBMC and serum antibody, implying that these peptides are immunogenic and may be of significance in a subunit dental caries vaccine.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by NIH grant DE-04733 from the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. The authors are grateful to Dr. Mary Tavares, Forsyth Institute, Boston, who kindly performed dental examinations, to Dr. Toshi Kawai for provision of phlebotomy expertise, and to Mr. William King for measurement of salivary IgA antibody to the MAP peptides.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Immunology, The Forsyth Institute, 140 The Fenway, Boston, MA, 02115-3799, USA

    Shauna Culshaw, Xiaozhe Han, Karen La Rosa, Jean W. Eastcott, Daniel J. Smith & Martin A. Taubman

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  1. Shauna Culshaw
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  2. Xiaozhe Han
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  3. Karen La Rosa
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  4. Jean W. Eastcott
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  5. Daniel J. Smith
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  6. Martin A. Taubman
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Correspondence to Martin A. Taubman.

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Culshaw, S., Han, X., La Rosa, K. et al. Assessment of Human Immune Response to Mutans Streptococcal Glucosyltransferase Peptides Selected by MHC Class II Binding Probability. Int J Pept Res Ther 13, 525–531 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10989-007-9110-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10989-007-9110-3

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