Researchers in Brazil report that an artificial-saliva formulation made with a lab-modified sugarcane protein, CaneCPI-5 (also written CANECPI-5), can bind to tooth enamel and help reduce bacterial activity and mineral loss in laboratory experiments designed to model the severe dental risks faced by head and neck cancer patients after radiotherapy. The work, published in the Journal of Dentistry, found the formulation performed best when combined with fluoride and xylitol.
Scientists at the Bauru School of Dentistry at the University of São Paulo (FOB-USP) in Brazil developed an artificial saliva delivered as a mouthwash using a lab-modified sugarcane protein known as CaneCPI-5. The researchers say the protein can bind directly to tooth enamel and form a protective layer that helps defend against acids that weaken enamel, including acids found in beverages such as juice and alcohol and acids originating in the stomach.
The study was carried out as part of the doctoral research of Natara Dias Gomes da Silva at FOB-USP and included collaborators from the Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar) in Brazil, the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and Yonsei University College of Dentistry in South Korea. The findings were published in the Journal of Dentistry.
According to Marília Afonso Rabelo Buzalaf, the project’s coordinator at FOB-USP, the approach is based on modulating the “acquired pellicle,” a thin protein layer that naturally forms on teeth, and she described it as the first product using this acquired-pellicle concept to treat xerostomia, the sensation of dry mouth caused by insufficient saliva.
In lab testing, the team applied the CaneCPI-5 mouthwash solution to small pieces of animal teeth once a day for one minute. The experiments indicated that the formulation could reduce bacterial activity and slow tooth demineralization, a process that makes teeth more vulnerable to cavities. The researchers reported that the protein performed most effectively when combined with fluoride and xylitol.
The work is aimed at addressing dental problems linked to salivary gland damage after radiotherapy for head and neck cancer. Buzalaf said artificial saliva can ease dry-mouth symptoms and oral sores and may be needed long term for some patients who permanently lose saliva production.
The researchers also report that the CaneCPI-5 protein has been patented and that they are exploring ways to scale up production with commercial partners. In addition to mouthwash, the team said it has tested CaneCPI-5 delivered as a gel and as an orodispersible film that dissolves on the tongue, with the protein performing well across these formats.
UFSCar researcher Flávio Henrique Silva, who helped develop the protein, traced the work to earlier studies of sugarcane cystatins conducted within the Sugarcane Genome Project (SUCEST). He said his group observed the protein’s strong tendency to bind to smooth surfaces during early enzyme-activity measurements, which helped prompt subsequent tests on binding to tooth enamel.
Beyond the anticaries work, Silva said CaneCPI-5 has been explored in other dentistry-related research, including studies involving periodontitis. He also described animal work using subcutaneous sponge implants in mice that suggested the protein could reduce inflammation and promote tissue-repair processes, supporting interest in potential wound-healing applications.
Next, the researchers said they plan additional studies combining CaneCPI-5 with other compounds, including pairing it with vitamin E as a carrier and testing a hybrid protein that fuses CaneCPI-5 with a peptide derived from statherin, a saliva protein, to assess whether it offers added protection against stomach-derived acids. They also plan to continue investigating the protein’s potential role in preventing periodontal disease.
