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. 1980 Oct;30(1):69–73. doi: 10.1128/iai.30.1.69-73.1980

Cross-reactivity of Streptococcus mutans antigens and human heart tissue.

J J Ferretti, C Shea, M W Humphrey
PMCID: PMC551278  PMID: 6160105

Abstract

Rocket and two-dimensional immunoelectrophoreses were used to demonstrate that antisera from rabbits immunized with Streptococcus mutans strain B13 cross-reacted with human heart tissue. Absorption of the anti-S. mutans serum with S. mutans whole cells removed all reactivity to heart tissue, but did not remove the reactivity of an added antibody marker to its corresponding antigen. The anti-S. mutans serum reacted most intensely with heart tissue antigen and to a lesser degree with skeletal muscle, but not with liver or kidney tissues. These results support the conclusion that antigens of S. mutans cross-react with mammalian heart tissue and, further, suggest that caution should be exercised in the formulation of a dental caries vaccine containing S. mutans antigens.

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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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