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. 2024 Aug 17;22(1):490.
doi: 10.1186/s12951-024-02709-9.

VMT/ACP/Dextran composite nanosheets against dental caries through promoting mineralization of dentin tubules, pH buffering, and antibacterial

Affiliations

VMT/ACP/Dextran composite nanosheets against dental caries through promoting mineralization of dentin tubules, pH buffering, and antibacterial

Yanting Xu et al. J Nanobiotechnology. .

Abstract

Dental caries is a worldwide public healthcare concern, and is closely related to the acidic environment that caused by bacterial decomposition of food. In this study, a two-step ion exchange liquid-phase stripping method was applied to strip out vermiculite (VMT) nanosheets, then amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) and dextran were inserted between the VMT nanosheets interlayer to obtain a composite two-dimension nanosheets (VMT/ACP/Dextran). VMT/ACP/Dextran composite nanosheets exhibited excellent biocompatibility and could provide exogenous Ca2+and PO43- from ACP, provide SiO44-, Mg2+, Fe2+ and obtain buffering pH and antibacterial properties from VMT, as well as improve suspension stability and targeting Streptococcus mutans through glucan. The in vitro study showed that the composite materials could promote the mineralization and sealing of dentin tubules by releasing active ions, buffer pH 4.5 (a value close to the pH in the dental plaque environment) to pH 6.6-7.1 (values close to the pH in human saliva) through ion exchange, and exert antibacterial effects by targeting Streptococcus mutans and exerting oxidase like and peroxidase like activities to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS). The in vivo animal study showed that daily cleaning teeth using VMT/ACP/Dextran composite nanosheets could effectively reduce the incidence rate and severity of dental caries in rats. Taking together, the developed VMT/ACP/Dextran composite nanosheets, which integrated the excellent properties of VMT, ACP and dextran, can effectively prevent dental caries through a combination of factors such as buffering acids, antibacterial properties, and promoting calcification, and may be used as an active ingredient for daily oral hygiene or filling materials to prevent and treat dental caries.

Keywords: Amorphous calcium phosphate; Caries; Dextran; Vermiculite.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Schematic illustration of VMT/ACP/Dextran composite nanosheets with dual antibiofilm and dentin occlusion functions for against dental caries. (a) VMT/ACP/Dextran composite nanosheets are fabricated from thermally expanded bulk precursors utilizing the two-step ion exchange method. (b) Evaluation of the effect of VMT/ACP/Dextran composite nanosheets on inhibiting cariogenic bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation while promoting dentin tubules occlusion
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Characterization of VMT/ACP/Dextran composite nanosheets. (a) Surface morphology of VMT NSs was observed by SEM. (b) Elemental composition of VMT NSs was analyzed by EDS. (c) The microscopic morphology of VMT/ACP/Dextran composite nanosheets was observed by TEM. (d) Elemental composition of VMT/ACP/Dextran composite nanosheets was analyzed by EDS. (e) Total ion concentration of VMT/ACP/Dextran composite nanosheets soaking in buffer solution with different pH for 30 consecutive days. (f) pH changes of VMT/ACP/Dextran composite nanosheets soaking in buffer solution with different pH for 30 consecutive days. (g) The zeta potentials of VMT, CaCl2, and VMT/ACP/Dextran composite nanosheets
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Biocompatibility of VMT/ACP/Dextran composite nanosheets in vitro. (a) CCK-8 results for cell viability of HGF treated with VMT NSs or VMT/ACP/Dextran composite nanosheets at different concentrations. (b) CCK-8 results for cell viability of HDPSCs and HUVEC treated with VMT NSs or VMT/ACP/Dextran composite nanosheets. (c) Live/dead staining images for HDPSCs treated with VMT NSs or VMT/ACP/Dextran composite nanosheets. (d) Live/Dead staining images for HUVEC treated with VMT NSs or VMT/ACP/Dextran composite nanosheets. (e) The migration of HUVEC and HDPSCs after treatment with VMT NSs or VMT/ACP/Dextran composite nanosheets in vitro. (f) The remaining area of plugins in different groups. (g) ALP staining of HDPSCs after treatment with VMT NSs or VMT/ACP/Dextran composite nanosheets and cultured in vitro for 4 days and 7 days. (h) Images of angiogenesis in different groups. (i) The number of junctions, total branching length and total segments length in different groups
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Antibacterial efficiency of VMT/ACP/Dextran composite nanosheets in vitro. (a) Images of bacterial colonies in different groups. (b) Numbers of bacterial colonies in different groups. (c) The morphology of S. mutans in different groups was observed by SEM. The arrow head indicated the holes on the bacterial surface. (d) Value of OD600 and percent change of S. mutans suspension at different time points in different groups
Fig. 5
Fig. 5
Antibiofilm efficiency of VMT/ACP/Dextran composite nanosheets in vitro. (a) Scheme of dual-mode antibiofilm efficiency of biofilm eradication test. (b) Live/dead bacterial staining of biofilms in different groups (biofilm eradication test). Red indicated dead bacterial. Green indicated live bacterial. (c) pH changes in the biofilm suspensions in different groups (biofilm eradication test). (d) Scheme of dual-mode antibiofilm efficiency of biofilm inhibition test. (e) Crystal violet staining in different groups (biofilm inhibition test). (f) OD590 of bacterial biofilm stained with crystal violet in different groups (biofilm inhibition test)
Fig. 6
Fig. 6
In vivo evaluation of VMT/ACP/Dextran composite nanosheets preventing dental caries in rats. (a) Schedule of construction and assessments of anti-caries efficacy in molar caries model of rats. Black regions indicated the caries lesion. (b) Representative micro-CT images of molar caries in different groups. (c) Photographs upon stereoscopic microscopy of molars after treatment in different groups. (d) H&E staining images of the palatal mucosa and gingival tissue in different groups. (e) H&E staining images of the heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney in different groups
Fig. 7
Fig. 7
SEM images of the cross and vertical sections of dentin after 14 days of pH cycling in different groups
Fig. 8
Fig. 8
Catalytic performances of VMT/ACP/Dextran composite nanosheets. (a) The oxidase (OXD)-like activity of VMT/ACP/Dextran composite nanosheets at sodium acetate buffer with different pH value. (b) The oxidase (OXD)-like activity of VMT/ACP/Dextran composite nanosheets with different concentrations. (c) The peroxidase (POD)-like activity of VMT/ACP/Dextran composite nanosheets in the solution with different concentrations of H2O2. (d) CLSM images of ROS expression in HGF in different groups. (e) CLSM images of ROS expression in S. mutans after treatment with or without VMT/ACP/Dextran composite nanosheets

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