Lactotransferrin Peptide: A Promising Inhibitor of Streptococcus Mutans Biofilm and Virulence

Dental caries, the most common chronic infectious disease in the oral cavity, affects around 3.5 billion individuals worldwide, with a particularly high prevalence in middle-income countries.Streptococcus mutans is a major cariogenic pathogen recognized for its ability to form biofilms that lead to tooth decay.Molecular docking studies showed stable interactions between lactotransferrin (LTF) and S. mutans proteins, with a binding energy of -6.28kcal/mol, suggesting that it may inhibit biofilm adhesion through hydrogen bonding.Antibacterial assays revealed that LTF at a concentration of 30 g/ml and 40 g/ml produced significant inhibition zones 18mm and 20mm, respectively.However, higher concentrations of LTF were required to achieve effects comparable to 40 g/mL of standard streptomycin (with an inhibition zone of 21 mm), crystal violet staining revealed that LTF could inhibit biofilm formation by S. mutans, achieving up to a 90% reduction at optimal concentrations of 1.0 and 2.0 g/mL.Silicone implants were coated with Lactotransferrin and tocopherol acetated.FT-IR analysis confirmed the interactions of functional groups, while FE-SEM imaging displayed smoother surfaces on coated implants compared to their uncoated counterparts.Drug release kinetics indicated a substantial initial burst, followed by a sustained release of LTF from coated implants, with the maximum release observed at 125 g.Cytotoxicity assessments on L929 mouse fibroblast cells showed reduced viability at elevated LTF concentrations, highlighting the need for a careful balance in therapeutic applications.Overall, this study emphasizes the potential of LTF as an effective agent against S. mutans, providing important insights for future dental treatments.