Serum and salivary antibody responses in rats orally immunized with Streptococcus mutans carbohydrate protein conjugate associated with liposomes.

In this study we describe the preparation of a Streptococcus mutans vaccine consisting of a purified polysaccharide antigen, derived from S. mutans OMZ175 serotype f, covalently coupled through reductive amination to a previously isolated 74,000-molecular-weight (74K) cell wall protein which interacts with saliva proteins (74K-SR). We also investigated the local and systemic immune response to the poly-74K-SR conjugate after oral administration of the conjugate associated with liposomes. Intragastric administration of liposome-associated poly-74K-SR conjugate in rats produced a local immunoglobulin A (IgA) response directed against the polysaccharide and the cell surface protein, whereas liposome-associated polysaccharide was unable to induce any detectable local IgA response. The antigenicity of the polysaccharide in the conjugate was not affected by the coupling reaction, while that of the cell surface protein was reduced. We showed that the immunogenicity of S. mutans polysaccharide could be improved by chemical coupling with a carrier cell surface protein. If such a conjugate were orally administered with liposomes it could constitute a potential vaccine against dental caries.