The impact of a-tomatine on shear bonding strength in different dentin types and on cariogenic microorganisms: an in vitro and in silico study

Abstract Introduction The objective of this study is to investigate the shear bonding strength of a glycoalkaloid, also a novel matrix metalloproteinase enzyme known as α-tomatine, on two different surfaces of dentin (sound & caries-affected) and its efficacy against cariogenic microorganisms using in vitro and in silico methods. Methods The effect of a-tomatine at different concentrations (0.75 / 1 / 1.5 µM) on shear bonding strength in caries-affected and sound dentin was also investigated (n = 10; each per subgroup). The analysis of shear bonding and failure tests was conducted after a 24-hour storage period. Fracture surfaces were examined under a scanning electron microscope. A stock solution 3 mM of a-tomatine was prepared for antimicrobial evaluation. Antimicrobial activities of the agents against Streptococcus mutans ATCC 25175, Lactobacillus casei ATCC 4646, and Candida albicans ATCC 10231 standard strains were investigated by microdilution method. In addition, through the method of molecular docking and dynamic analysis, the affinity of a-tomatine for certain enzymes of these microorganisms was examined. Results The pretreatment agent and dentin type significantly influenced shear bonding strength values (p