Secretion of salivary statherin is compromised in uncontrolled diabetic patients.

Background: Statherin is an important salivary protein for maintaining oral health. The purpose of the current study was to determine if differences in statherin levels exist between diabetic and healthy subjects.

Methods: A total of 48 diabetic and healthy controls were randomly selected from a community-based database.

Silk fibroin scaffolds promote formation of the ex vivo niche for salivary gland epithelial cell growth, matrix formation, and retention of differentiated function.

Salivary gland hypofunction often results from a number of causes, including the use of various medications, radiation for head and neck tumors, autoimmune diseases, diabetes, and aging. Since treatments for this condition are lacking and adult salivary glands have little regenerative capacity, there is a need for cell-based therapies to restore salivary gland function. Development of these treatment strategies requires the establishment of a system that is capable of replicating the salivary gland cell "niche" to support the proliferation and differentiation of salivary gland progenitor cells.

Role for Notch signaling in salivary acinar cell growth and differentiation.

The Notch pathway is crucial for stem/progenitor cell maintenance, growth and differentiation in a variety of tissues. The Notch signaling is essential for Drosophila salivary gland development but its role in mammalian salivary gland remains unclear. The human salivary epithelial cell line, HSG, was studied to determine the role of Notch signaling in salivary epithelial cell differentiation.

Distinct pathways of ERK activation by the muscarinic agonists pilocarpine and carbachol in a human salivary cell line.

Cholinergic-muscarinic receptor agonists are used to alleviate mouth dryness, although the cellular signals mediating the actions of these agents on salivary glands have not been identified. We examined the activation of ERK1/2 by two muscarinic agonists, pilocarpine and carbachol, in a human salivary cell line (HSY). Immunoblot analysis revealed that both agonists induced transient activation of ERK1/2.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase up-regulation and activation during rat parotid gland atrophy and regeneration: role of epidermal growth factor and beta2-adrenergic receptors.

The rat secretory ductal obstruction model has been widely used to assess salivary gland injury, growth, and differentiation. In this study, a novel ductal obstruction and release procedure was used to explore the signaling pathways leading to salivary gland regeneration. Rats underwent bilateral parotid ductal obstruction in which the duct was occluded against a plastic disk subcutaneously and released by external ligature removal.

Salivary gland function in HIV-infected patients treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).

Objective: This study was undertaken to determine if HAART alters salivary oral host defense in HIV(+) men.

Study Design: Whole, parotid, and submandibular/sublingual saliva was collected from 39 healthy men and 147 HIV(+) patients with mild to moderate immune dysfunction (69 treated with HAART [HAART(+)]; 78 not treated [HAART(-)]). Salivary flow rates, anticandidal activities, electrolytes, and antimicrobial/antifungal proteins were determined.

beta-Adrenergic-responsive activation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases in salivary cells: role of epidermal growth factor receptor and cAMP.

The beta-adrenergic receptor agonist isoproterenol exerts growth-promoting effects on salivary glands. In this study, activation of ERKs, members of the mitogen-activated protein kinase family, by isoproterenol was examined in a human salivary gland cell line (HSY). Immunoblot analysis indicated that isoproterenol (10(-5) M) induced transient activation of ERK1/2 (4.

Salivary secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor increases in HIV infection.

Background: Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) is an antimicrobial protein found in saliva and having anti-HIV activity. The concentrations of SLPI in parotid and submandibular/sublingual (SMSL) saliva were determined in an HIV(+) population and compared with uninfected controls. The effect of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on the concentrations in saliva was determined.