Salivary paptides related to local and systemic conditions

Abstract

The oral mucosa tissues and salivary glands act together to protect oral environment from pathogens and other irritants. Saliva is a mixture of water, electrolites, proteins (including immunoglobulins, mucins, lactoferrin, thrombospondin, proline-rich proteins, agglutinin) and enzymes (such as a-amilase, lysozyme, lipase and other proteolytic enzymes), the daily secreton normally ranges between 800 to 1500ml in adults. The called whole saliva, the fluid present in oral cavity, is produced by different salivary glands (parotid, submandibular, sublingual and minor salivary glands), and gingival crevicular fluid. Whole saliva may also contain elements transudated from plasma derived from the capillary bed beneath the oral mucosa. It is important to consider the evident and important role of saliva in defense and protection of oral tissues. The effects of co-infecting pathogens has been postulated to be a factor important in the activation and/or suppression of immune system, important in many situations, including the severity and rate of disease progression. Both, mucosal and systemic immune system seems to play a role in defense against infections, which means innate or adaptive, cellular or secretory defense system all are important. The oral cavity is continually confronted with a vast number of pathogens and antigens, so in some way may be considered a inflammatory environment, although the level of inflammation may be sub-clinical. When initial protective oral defenses are overwhelmed, microorganisms can penetrate the mucosa, create an initial focus of replication and spread. We propose to observe the presence of local inflammation - oral mucosal lesions, gingivitis, periodontites or stomatites) or systemic (diabete melito), may influence the presence of salivary cytokines or defense factors in saliva. The study will compare saliva molecular componentes in four different groups of patients: Group 1 (as control group)- 10 Patients, total or patially edentate, healthy (no systemic diseases), without oral infectious; Group 2 - 10 Patients total or patially edentate, healthy (no systemic diseases), with clinical signs of oral inflammation/infections. Group 3 - 10 diabetic patients, total or patially edentate, healthy (no systemic diseases), without oral infectious; and Group 4 - 10 diabetic patients, total or patially edentate with oral infectious. It will be cheked the presence of TNF alpha, IL-1 beta, mucin, alpha and beta-defensins. The levels of these proteins will be determined by ELISA kits - accordind to the possibility in the market. (AU)