Molecular docking reveals Chitosan nanoparticle protection mechanism for dentin against Collagen-binding bacteria

The medical application of chitosan (Cs) has been for about half a century, but the molecular mechanism has not been elucidated yet. This study is to explore the antibacterial mechanism of chitosan nanoparticles (Csnp) in dentin at the atomic resolution level. Extracted tooth specimen was prepared in three groups: A. control group; B. Csnp treatment under ultrasonic agitation (UA); C. Csnp treatment without UA. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to observe the Csnp distribution on the dentin surface. The incubations of Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) were performed. Further, we explored the protection mechanism of chitosan polymers to collagen type I, using molecular docking technique and crystal structure superimposition analysis. We revealed that Csnp under UA was evenly distributed on the dental surface and the Csnp-pretreated dentin had great antibacterial activity for E. faecalis. Our work demonstrated that Csnp occupied the grooves of the triple-helical collagen surface, strengthened by crosslinking, and interfered with the bond of collagen adhesin through steric hindrance effect and interrupting hydrophobic interaction. Csnp protects dentin against E. faecalis by interacting and crosslinking with collagen type I and prevents bacterial collagen adhesin binding through steric hindrance effect and interrupting hydrophobic interaction. Graphical abstract.