Immunoprotection assays against rat dental caries using Streptococcus sobrinus virulence-associated immunomodulatory protein as a trget antigen.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------XXIII SUMARIO ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------XXV RESUME ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------XXVII ORGANIZATION OF THE THESIS -------------------------------------------------------XXXI ABBREVIATIONS ----------------------------------------------------------------------------XXXIII CHAPTER I. GENERAL INTRODUCTION ------------------------------------------------------1 I.1. Dental caries --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3 I.1. 1 General ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3 I.1. 2. Infectious Disease ----------------------------------------------------------------------------4 I.1. 3. History -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------6 I.1. 4. Mutans streptococci (MS) ------------------------------------------------------------------6 I.1. 5. Pathogenesis ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------7 I.1. 6. “Window of infectivity” and caries transmission ---------------------------------------9 I.1. 6.1. Fidelity of transmission ------------------------------------------------------------------11 I.2. Virulence factors -------------------------------------------------------------------------------12 I.3. Mucosal Immunity -----------------------------------------------------------------------------14 I.3. 1. Mucosal Associated Lymphoid tissue --------------------------------------------------14 I.3. 2. Salivary Immunity ---------------------------------------------------------------------------20 I.3. 2.1. Saliva ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------20 I.3. 2.2. Salivary Immunoglobulins ---------------------------------------------------------------22 I.3. 2.2.1. Salivary IgA ------------------------------------------------------------------------------22 I.3. 2.2.2. Salivary IgG ------------------------------------------------------------------------------25 I.4. Vaccines -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------26 I.4. 1. General ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------26 I.4. 2. Dental caries vaccines ---------------------------------------------------------------------29 I.4. 2.1. Active Immunization ----------------------------------------------------------------------29 I.4. 2.2. Our vaccination protocol -----------------------------------------------------------------32 I.4. 2.3. Passive Immunization --------------------------------------------------------------------33 I.4. 3. Methods of antigen delivery and immune enhancement ---------------------------34 CHAPTER II. OBJECTIVES------------------------------------------------------------------------39 CHAPTER III. ENOLASE FROM Streptococcus sobrinus VIRULENCE FACTOR -----------------------------------------------------------43 III. Abstract -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------45 III.