Salivary mucin as related to oral Streptococcus mutans in elderly people

Abstract

MG1 (MUC5b and MUC4) and MG2 (MUC7), predominant mucins in human whole saliva, provide lubrication and antimicrobial protection for oral tissues. This study examines potential relationships between Streptococcus mutans titers in the oral cavity and the following: mucin concentrations; unstimulated and stimulated whole saliva flow rates; decayed, missing, and filled tooth surfaces; and age of 24 elderly patients. S. mutans titers were determined using Denticult SM. Mucin concentrations were determined using Stains-all, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Logistic regression was used to identify potential relationships between the above variables. S. mutans classification served as the dependent variable. The remaining variables were possible predictor variables. The best model for predicting S. mutans category contained log MG2 as a predictor variable for all of its parameter estimates. No other set of parameter estimates were statistically significant. These results suggest that elevated S. mutans titers are significantly associated with diminished concentrations of MG2 in unstimulated whole saliva, as quantified in mucin-dye binding units.

The Proteomes of Human Parotid and Submandibular/Sublingual Gland Salivas Collected as the Ductal Secretions

“…These aberrations are potential diagnostic and/or prognostic markers that could be used in a variety of nanotechnology-based formats being devised by another NIDCR-funded initiative (reviewed by Wong). 66 With regard to oral diseases, IL-1 polymorphisms appear to track with periodontal disease; 83,84 MUC7 levels in elderly patients predict Streptococcus mutans titers, 85 and proteolytic processing of parotid salivary proteins diverges among individuals with different caries experiences. 86 Sjögren's syndrome, which leads to hyposalivation, is associated with a rise in the concentration of several major salivary proteins.…”

Human lacrimal gland mucins

“…The lack of detection of MUC7 in tears, reported by Jumblatt et al (2003) is therefore likely to be due to its low concentration. Both MUC7 and MUC5B have been shown to participate in bacterial adhesion (Baughan et al 2000;Liu et al 2000a;Situ and Bobek 2000;Thomsson et al 2002).…”

“…Our data demonstrate that MUC5B is produced by acinar cells of the healthy lacrimal gland and staining intensity is strongly increased in lacrimal glands of elderly women who were treated with artificial tears. MUC5B has been shown to participate in bacterial adhesion (Baughan et al 2000). Secretion by the lacrimal gland might be a necessary event in ocular surface protection because of its very limited synthesis by the ocular surface epithelia.…”

Salivary Diagnostics

“…[50][51][52] In 2009, Gursoy and others 53 compared the concentration of a select subset of salivary proteins (elastase, lactate dehydrogenase, IL-1"b, interleukin-6 [IL-6], and tumor necrosis factor-a) and the presence of five pathogens (Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Prevotella intermedia, Tannerella forsythia, and Treponema denticola) in patients with advanced periodontal disease and healthy controls. This study reported an association of salivary IL-1"b and multiple oral pathogens with periodontitis.…”