Polymorphism of salivary histatin gene and periodontal disease in the Japanese population.

Chronic periodontitis is a widespread and major dental disease. Recent studies have analyzed a possible relationship between polymorphism of several genes and periodontitis. Histatins are salivary polypeptides with fungicidal activities against Candida albicans and yeast and bactericidal activities against Porphyromonas gingivalis and Streptococcus mutans.

Transcriptional regulation of the salivary histatin gene: finding of a strong positive regulatory element and its binding protein.

Histatins are salivary proteins found and expressed in human salivary glands. They play a role in the non-immune system of antimicrobial defense, for instance, against Candida albicans. The transcriptional regulatory sequences of the histatin gene, HIS1, have remained obscure for a long time.