Analysis of pathogenesis-related factors of Streptococcus mutans from the oral cavity of patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis
4 affiliations
- 1Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences
- 2Department of Vascular Physiology, National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center
- 3Division of Nephrology, Seirei Hamamatsu General Hospital
- 4Department of Nursing, Faculty of Nursing, Seirei Christopher University
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) comprises non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL), which rarely progresses, and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which may progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Previous studies have shown that Streptococcus mutans positive for collagen-binding protein (Cnm) and the 190-kDa cell surface protein antigen (PA) may be involved in NASH progression. In this study, we analyzed saliva samples obtained from patients with NAFL and NASH, and investigated the involvement of these proteins in NASH development by administrating clinical isolates to a mouse model. There was no significant difference in the detection rate of S. mutans between the NAFL and NASH patient groups; however, Cnm ⁺ /PA ⁺ S. mutans strains were more frequently detected in patients with NASH. Furthermore, patients with NASH with Cnm ⁺ /PA ⁺ S. mutans showed significantly higher levels of type IV collagen 7S, a biomarker of liver fibrosis, compared to patients with NASH without these strains. Adiponectin, an anti-inflammatory cytokine mainly secreted by adipocytes, was significantly lower. The collagen-binding ability of Cnm ⁺ /PA ⁺ S. mutans strains was significantly higher than that of other S. mutans strains without both proteins. Cnm ⁺ /PA ⁺ S. mutans showed significantly higher binding ability to type IV collagen than to type I collagen. RT-qPCR analysis revealed that pac expression was significantly higher in Cnm ⁺ /PA ⁺ S. mutans isolated from the NASH group. Administration of Cnm ⁺ /PA ⁺ S. mutans into a NASH mouse model via the jugular vein caused NASH-like pathology in mouse liver tissues. These results suggest that Cnm ⁺ /PA ⁺ S. mutans is associated with NASH aggravation.
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BibTeX
@article{tabata2026analysis,
title = {{Analysis of pathogenesis-related factors of Streptococcus mutans from the oral cavity of patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis}},
author = {Keiko Tabata and Shuhei Naka and Kana Goto and Shuichi Tonomura and Taro Misaki and Michiyo Matsumoto-Nakano},
journal = {Frontiers in Immunology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fimmu.2026.1879236},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2026.1879236/full},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Analysis of pathogenesis-related factors of Streptococcus mutans from the oral cavity of patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis
AU - Keiko Tabata
AU - Shuhei Naka
AU - Kana Goto
AU - Shuichi Tonomura
AU - Taro Misaki
AU - Michiyo Matsumoto-Nakano
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/14
JO - Frontiers in Immunology
DO - 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1879236
UR - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2026.1879236/full
AB - Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) comprises non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL), which rarely progresses, and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which may progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Previous studies have shown that Streptococcus mutans positive for collagen-binding protein (Cnm) and the 190-kDa cell surface protein antigen (PA) may be involved in NASH progression. In this study, we analyzed saliva samples obtained from patients with NAFL and NASH, and investigated the involvement of these proteins in NASH development by administrating clinical isolates to a mouse model. There was no significant difference in the detection rate of S. mutans between the NAFL and NASH patient groups; however, Cnm ⁺ /PA ⁺ S. mutans strains were more frequently detected in patients with NASH. Furthermore, patients with NASH with Cnm ⁺ /PA ⁺ S. mutans showed significantly higher levels of type IV collagen 7S, a biomarker of liver fibrosis, compared to patients with NASH without these strains. Adiponectin, an anti-inflammatory cytokine mainly secreted by adipocytes, was significantly lower. The collagen-binding ability of Cnm ⁺ /PA ⁺ S. mutans strains was significantly higher than that of other S. mutans strains without both proteins. Cnm ⁺ /PA ⁺ S. mutans showed significantly higher binding ability to type IV collagen than to type I collagen. RT-qPCR analysis revealed that pac expression was significantly higher in Cnm ⁺ /PA ⁺ S. mutans isolated from the NASH group. Administration of Cnm ⁺ /PA ⁺ S. mutans into a NASH mouse model via the jugular vein caused NASH-like pathology in mouse liver tissues. These results suggest that Cnm ⁺ /PA ⁺ S. mutans is associated with NASH aggravation.
SN - 1664-3224
ER -