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image of Inhibition of Biofilm Formation and Gene Expression by Silicon Dioxide Nanoparticles and Zinc Oxide/Zeolite Nanocomposites on Streptococcus mutans

Abstract

Background

() is recognized as the primary oral pathogen responsible for dental caries. The formation of biofilms on tooth surfaces is a crucial virulence factor for . This study aimed to investigate the antimicrobial and anti-biofilm effects of silicon dioxide nanoparticles (SiO NPs) and zinc oxide/zeolite nanocomposites (ZnO/Zeolite NCs) on gene expression and biofilm formation.

Methods

Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs), minimum bactericidal concentrations (MBCs), sub-MIC, safranin staining, growth curve analysis, and MTT assays were performed to evaluate the anti-biofilm properties of the nanoparticles. The expression levels of the , , , and genes were evaluated by real-time PCR. Cytotoxic effects of the nanoparticles were measured by the MTT assay with human gingival fibroblast (HGF2PI2) cells.

Results

Both SiO NPs and ZnO/Zeolite NCs effectively inhibited biofilm formation, with MTT assay results showing a 79% inhibition by SiO NPs and 95% by ZnO/Zeolite NCs. Additionally, both nanoparticles reduced the transcription levels of the ftf, gtfB, vicR, and gbpB genes, with no toxic effects observed on HGF2PI2 cells at a concentration of 32 mg/ml.

Discussion

These findings suggest that SiO2 NPs and ZnO/Zeolite NCs are promising agents against biofilms, with potential applications in oral care products.

Conclusion

SiO NPs and ZnO/Zeolite NCs show significant potential for preventing biofilm formation by , representing effective and cost-efficient antibacterial options for oral health.

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2026-01-26
2026-02-19

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Inhibition of Biofilm Formation and Gene Expression by Silicon Dioxide Nanoparticles and Zinc Oxide/Zeolite Nanocomposites on Streptococcus mutans
Bentham Science Publishers ; https://doi.org/10.2174/0127724344367073251106200403
/content/journals/raaidd/10.2174/0127724344367073251106200403
/content/journals/raaidd/10.2174/0127724344367073251106200403
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  • Article Type:     Research Article
Keywords: zeolite ; nanocrystalline materials ; real-time polymerase chain reaction ; lassar's paste ; biofilms ; quartz ; Streptococcus mutans

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