TABLE 7.
Active immunity against mutans streptococci in rodents
| Immunization route | Antigens | Adjuvant or vehicule | Increase in:
|
Reduction in S. mutans counts | Protection against caries | Reference(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salivary IgA antibody levels | Salivary or serum IgG antibody levels | ||||||
| Subcutaneous | Whole cells, glucosyltransferase | Complete Freund adjuvant | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 321, 448, 449, 479, 480 |
| Topical | Whole cells | None | Yes | No | Yes | NTa | 245 |
| Intranasal | Antigen I/II | Cholera toxin | Yes | Yes | Yes | NT | 214, 544 |
| Oral | Whole cells, cell wall, ribosomal extract, antigen I/II, glucosyltransferase, anti-idiotype | Muramyldipeptide, peptidoglycan, concanavalin A, cholera toxin, liposome, aluminum phosphate, cloned Salmonella | Yes | Yes/nob | Yes | Yes | 100, 175, 207, 331–333, 341, 382, 409, 449, 482, 516 |
a
NT, not tested.
b
In general, immunization with whole cells gives rise only to salivary IgA antibodies while immunization with soluble antigens and adjuvant, which render the antigens particulate, may also lead to an increase in the level of antibodies in serum.