Stimulated saliva composition in patients with cancer of the head and neck region

Abstract

Background To analyse over time changes in stimulated whole saliva regarding total protein, Immunoglobulin A (IgA), and mucin type O-glycans (mostly MUC5B and MUC7) in head and neck cancer patients. Methods 29 dentate patients (20 men and 9 women, 59 ± 8 years) treated with curative radiation therapy and chemotherapy for cancer of the head and neck region were included. The stimulated whole salivary secretion rate was determined and saliva collected at four time-points: at pretreatment, and at 6 months, 1 and 2 years post treatment. The total protein concentration was determined spectrophotometrically by using Bicinchoninic Acid assay and Immunoglobulin A (IgA) by using ELISA technique. Glycosylation pattern of salivary mucins was determined in samples collected pre- and post treatment by using LC/MS electrospray and mucin content quantified using SDS-AgPAGE gels and PAS staining. Results Compared with pretreatment, the total protein concentration was increased already at 6 months post treatment (p < 0.01), and continued to increase up to 2 years post treatment (p < 0.001). During that period no significant changes in IgA concentration was detected. At pretreatment, the output/min of both total protein and IgA was significantly higher than at all time-points post treatment. Saliva from the cancer patients showed a low abundance/no detectable MUC7, while the MUC5B level remained, compared to saliva from a healthy control. The glycomic analysis showed that the percentage of core 2 O-glycans was increased as core 1, 3 and 4 O-glycans were decreased. The level of sialylation was higher at 6 months post treatment, while sulfation was lower. Conclusion A decreased output per minute of proteins at decreased salivary secretion rate, as well as reduced sulfation of MUC5B at 6 months post treatment tended to correlate with the patients’ experience of sticky saliva and oral dryness. At 2 years post treatment, the decreased amount of IgA combined with a lowered salivary secretion rate indicate a reduced oral defense with increased risk of oral infections.

Salivary noncoding RNA in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer: Systematic review and meta‐analysis

“…Despite the lack of agreement, the pancreas shares histological and functional similarities with salivary glands, and in particular, the parotid salivary gland. 27 Given the fact that stimulated saliva is mainly a product of parotid secretion and 50 in accordance with the results of our meta-analysis, our data support using stimulated saliva for PC diagnosis.…”

A Fresh Look at Mouthwashes—What Is Inside and What Is It For?

“…With the development of modern healthcare and access to various foods, periodontal diseases related to vitamin C deficiency are almost forgotten, but the ineffective removal of dental plaque in association with chronic stress, inveterate smoking, diabetes, dyslipidemia, etc., may result in periodontitis, which affects a large part of the population worldwide [ 2 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]. Rising life expectancy generates other problems such as tissue degeneration as well as neoplasms and their treatment, which may result in hyposalivation, immunodeficiency or malnutrition with subsequent oral diseases [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 ]. Proper oral hygiene is the basis of keeping the oral cavity healthy.…”

Intensity-modulated radiotherapy prevents lasting damage to salivary glands but not oral mucositis.

“…The most obvious would-be MUC1 the oral epithelial cell membrane-bound mucin that anchors salivary mucins to the surface [30]. In addition, altered glycan composition could change mucins con guration, resulting into tight packed globular aggregates with a reduced capacity of retaining water [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31].…”

“…It has been established in the literature that an altered concentration of IgA at mucosal surfaces will impair host microbial homeostasis, adherence, and protection from bacterial infection, altering bacterial diversity and bio lm formation [17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34] . Moreover, IgA is vital for commensal bacterial colonisation in gut mucosal tissues [34] and may bind certain bacteria facilitating colonisation of the oral mucosa [35] to maintain a healthy and functional mucosal barrier which is critical during OM onset/development.…”