PRODUCTION METHOD OF ANTIGEN AGENT FOR LIMITATION OR PREVENTION OF TOOTH DEFECTS

摘要

An antigenic protein, termed antigen C, present on the cell walls and in cultures of Streptococcus mutans, especially genetic group I (serotypes c, e and f) is separated from other antigenic proteins, notably those which cross react with heart tissue, to give an antigen preparation which may be used as a vaccine or to raise antibodies for use in protecting against dental caries. …??Antigen C is destroyed or extracted from the cell walls by treatment with boiling aqueous sodium dodecyl sulphate (10 gm per litre) for 10 minutes. It has a molecular weight of 70,000 +/- 5,000 and an isoelectric point of 4.45 +/- 0.24. It is destroyed by proteolytic enzyme and does not cross react with heart tissue. …??The antigen also occurs in the culture filtrate and/or cell extract and may readily be separated from these sources by affinity chromatography on immobilised antibody.