부산대학교 도서관

Erythritol is one of the most widely used lowcalorie sugar substitutes and has known inhibitory effectson the growth of Streptococcus mutans. However, themechanism underlying this inhibition is poorly understood. Expression profiles of the glucosyltransferase (GTF) andfructosyltransferase (FTF) genes in S. mutans were evaluatedin the presence of erythritol and other sweeteners. Adhesionof S. mutans to different carbohydrates was also determinedacross a range of concentrations. Erythritol significantly(p<0.05) inhibited adherence of S. mutans under multipleconditions, compared with sucrose. Erythritol significantly(p<0.05) inhibited expressions of gtfB, gtfC, gtfD, and ftf inthe presence of various carbohydrates compared with sucrose. These findings were consistent with an anti-cariogenic effectof erythritol on S. mutans, and suggested mechanisms bywhich erythritol inhibits formation of dental caries.