Gene expression analysis of inflammation-related genes in macrophages treated with α-(1 → 3, 1 → 6)-D-glucan extracted from Streptococcus mutans.

Streptococcus mutans is a gram-positive bacterium that causes tooth decay. The exopolyssacharides, mostly glucans synthesized by the bacterium are responsible for establishing pathogenic bio-films associated with dental caries disease. The regulatory immune and inflammatory reactions implicated by the synthesized glucans are still not clearly understood. In this study, a water-soluble exopolyssacharide (WSP) was extracted from culture of Str. mutans. The structural properties of WSP, [α-(1 â†’ 3, 1 â†’ 6)-D-glucan] were confirmed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and 13C-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Furthermore, the effects of WSP on the global gene expression of the macrophage-like RAW 264.7 cells were analyzed using mRNA-seq analysis. Using Gene Ontology analysis, we compiled a total of 24,421 genes that were upregulated or downregulated by more than 5.0-fold and 0.3-fold, respectively. Most of the transcripts were grouped under immune response and inflammation-related gene categories. Among the 802 immunity-related genes analyzed, chemokine ligand 7 (Ccl7), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), interleukin-1α (IL-1α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were upregulated after WSP exposure. In addition, among a total of 344 genes related to inflammation, Ccl7, IL-1α and IL-6 were upregulated. These results suggest that [α-(1 â†’ 3, 1 â†’ 6)-D-glucan] from Str. mutans produces activates macrophages and may contribute to the immune and inflammatory response to periodontal disease.

Mutan: A mixed linkage α-[(1,3)- and (1,6)]-d-glucan from Streptococcus mutans, that induces osteoclast differentiation and promotes alveolar bone loss.

Mutan is an extracellular polysaccharide of Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) that consists of α-(1,3)-linked glucose residues in main chains and α-(1,6) bonds in side chains. In the present study, mutan was isolated from S. mutans, and its structural characteristics were determined using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The effects of mutan on RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation in RAW 264.7 cells were examined. Furthermore, microCT and morphometric analyses were used to determine the contribution of mutan to alveolar bone loss in the maxilla of a rat periodontitis model. Mutan increased (more than 2-fold) RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation in a dose-dependent manner. Mutan also enhanced the alveolar bone loss in the rat maxilla 2.3-fold. In mutan-treated rats, the bone mineral density, bone volume, trabecular number, and trabecular thickness decreased, whereas trabecular separation significantly increased. In addition, mutan and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced similar microarray profiles in RAW 264.7 cells. A total of 43 genes related to osteoclastogenesis were differentially expressed after either mutan or LPS treatment. Five-fold increases in the expression of several genes, including IL-1ß, IL-1α, IL-6, and chemokine ligands, were observed in mutan-treated RAW 264.7 cells. These results suggest a molecular mechanism for the inflammation induced by S. mutans during the establishment of periodontal disease.