Analyses of pathogenicity of collagen-binding protein of S.mutans for cardiovascular diseases

变形链球菌是引起龋病和感染性心内膜炎的主要致病菌。最近，鉴定了具有与I型胶原结合特性的约120-kDa Cnm蛋白，并且我们发现Cnm阳性变形链球菌菌株具有约10- 20%的流行率。此外，Cnm阳性菌株主要在血清型f和k菌株中鉴定，即使这些菌株被认为是口腔中的次要血清型。Cnm阳性可能是血管疾病的重要毒力因子，因为这些菌株能够与暴露的胶原组织结合。

Streptococcus mutans is known as a major pathogen of dental caries and also to cause infective endocarditis. Recently, an approximately 120-kDa Cnm protein with binding properties to type I collagen was identified and we found that Cnm-positive S.mutans strains have a prevalence of approximately 10-20%. Furthermore, Cnm-positive strains were predominantly identified among serotype f and k stains, even though those are considered to be minor serotypes in the oral cavity. Cnm positivity may be an important virulence factor for vascular diseases because of the ability of such strains to bind to exposed collagen tissue.