Association between facial measurements and polymorphisms in human epidermal growth factor and transforming growth factor ß1.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between genetic polymorphisms in human epidermal growth factor (EGF) (rs4444903) and transforming growth factor ß1 - (TGF-ß1) (rs1800470) with facial measurements in patients with dentofacial deformities. A total of 144 adult patients with dentofacial deformities were included. Facial linear and angular measurements were traced in lateral cephalometric radiographs used Dolphin 2D software. Cells from oral mucosa were collected for DNA to be extracted. The polymorphisms were genotyped using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Probabilites of less than 0.05 were accepted as significant. The rs4444903 heterozygous patients had a decrease in the mandibular length (p=0.043) and the length of the mandibular base (p=0.008), and homozygous A patients also had a reduction in the length of the mandibular base (p=0.013) compared with homozygous G patients. Patients AG had an increase in measurement of the anterior facial height (p=0.032) and in ANS-Me distance (p=0.022) when compared with homozygous A. To the rs1800470, heterozygous patients had an increase in the length of the mandibular base (p=0.043) when compared with homozygous A. Heterozygous AG patients had an increase in angular measurements in TGF-ß1 polymorphism for the upper gonial angle, when compared with the homozygous AA (p=0.032). Genetic polymorphisms in EGF and TGF-ß1 are associated with facial measurements in a Brazilian population of patients with dentofacial deformities.

Sublingual immunization with the phosphate-binding-protein (PstS) reduces oral colonization by Streptococcus mutans.

Bacterial ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters play a crucial role in the physiology and pathogenicity of different bacterial species. Components of ABC transporters have also been tested as target antigens for the development of vaccines against different bacterial species, such as those belonging to the Streptococcus genus. Streptococcus mutans is the etiological agent of dental caries, and previous studies have demonstrated that deletion of the gene encoding PstS, the substrate-binding component of the phosphate uptake system (Pst), reduced the adherence of the bacteria to abiotic surfaces. In the current study, we generated a recombinant form of the S. mutans PstS protein (rPstS) with preserved structural features, and we evaluated the induction of antibody responses in mice after sublingual mucosal immunization with a formulation containing the recombinant protein and an adjuvant derived from the heat-labile toxin from enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli strains. Mice immunized with rPstS exhibited systemic and secreted antibody responses, measured by the number of immunoglobulin A-secreting cells in draining lymph nodes. Serum antibodies raised in mice immunized with rPstS interfered with the adhesion of bacteria to the oral cavity of naive mice challenged with S. mutans. Similarly, mice actively immunized with rPstS were partially protected from oral colonization after challenge with the S. mutans NG8 strain. Therefore, our results indicate that S. mutans PstS is a potential target antigen capable of inducing specific and protective antibody responses after sublingual administration. Overall, these observations raise interesting perspectives for the development of vaccines to prevent dental caries.