Xerostomia and Its Cellular Targets

Abstract

Xerostomia, the subjective feeling of a dry mouth associated with dysfunction of the salivary glands, is mainly caused by radiation and chemotherapy, various systemic and autoimmune diseases, and drugs. As saliva plays numerous essential roles in oral and systemic health, xerostomia significantly reduces quality of life, but its prevalence is increasing. Salivation mainly depends on parasympathetic and sympathetic nerves, and the salivary glands responsible for this secretion move fluid unidirectionally through structural features such as the polarity of acinar cells. Saliva secretion is initiated by the binding of released neurotransmitters from nerves to specific G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) on acinar cells. This signal induces two intracellular calcium (Ca2+) pathways (Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum and Ca2+ influx across the plasma membrane), and this increased intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) causes the translocation of the water channel aquaporin 5 (AQP5) to the apical membrane. Consequently, the GPCR-mediated increased [Ca2+]i in acinar cells promotes saliva secretion, and this saliva moves into the oral cavity through the ducts. In this review, we seek to elucidate the potential of GPCRs, the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IP3R), store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE), and AQP5, which are essential for salivation, as cellular targets in the etiology of xerostomia.

Severe Xerostomia Induced by Multiple Systemic Diseases in a Patient with Psoriasis Vulgaris: A Case Report and Literature Review

“…Synonyms for xerostomia are oligosalia or stomatitis sicca. 8 , 28 , 29 Xerostomia is a subjective feeling of oral dryness and may be determined by questioning the individual’s perception of oral dryness. Clinicians often use the terms xerostomia and hyposalivation.…”

“…Synonyms for xerostomia are oligosalia or stomatitis sicca. 8,28,29 Xerostomia is a subjective feeling…”

Deleting Mitochondrial Superoxide Dismutase 2 in Salivary Gland Ductal Epithelial Cells Recapitulates Non-Sjögren’s Sicca Syndrome

“…Certain medications known as xerogenic drugs can exacerbate these effects, leading to a decrease in salivation. These medications include various classes of drugs: antihistamines, antidepressants, and antihypertensives, which interfere with the normal cholinergic pathways that facilitate salivation [ 21 , 22 ]. Overall, stress or medications can potentially disrupt secretory processes maintained by the ANS.…”

Levantamento epidemiológico de CPO-D e Xerostomia em estudantes universitários brasileiros: relações com a saúde bucal

“…A etiologia é dada devido a associação de medicamentos, desidratação, doenças sistêmicas, doenças autoimunes, irradiação de cabeça e pescoço e quimioterapia. Além disso, a xerostomia também pode afetar a qualidade de vida das pessoas, interferindo na fala, no paladar e no humor (Kim, 2023;Thakkar, 2022;Golež, 2022;López-Pintor, 2022;Morita, 2023).…”