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. 1980 Jul;29(1):1–7. doi: 10.1128/iai.29.1.1-7.1980

Effects of molecular weight of dextran on the adherence of Streptococcus sanguis to damaged heart valves.

C H Ramirez-Ronda
PMCID: PMC551065  PMID: 6156909

Abstract

Dextran-producing streptococci such as Streptococcus sanguis are the organisms most frequently associated with infective endocarditis in humans. A series of experiments was designed to study how the molecular weight of dextrans affects the adherence of an endocarditis strain of S. sanguis to canine heart valves covered with platelets and fibrin. The data indicated that this adherence was dependent on dextrans of high molecular weight, such as dextran T-2000 or glucans isolated from S. sanguis or S. mutans. The adherence properties of the strain studied were not modified by prior exposure of the bacterial cells of valve leaflets to high-molecular-weight dextrans. Preexposure of bacterial cells or valve leaflets to low-molecular-weight dextrans decreased their adherence. Low-molecular-weight dextrans interfered with adherence of dextran-positive strains to damaged heart valves.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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