The content of delmopinol and characterization of the molecular weight pattern of salivary protein precipitates.

The aims of this investigation were: a) To quantify the amount of radiolabelled delmopinol in precipitates formed in a mixture of saliva and delmopinol at two concentrations, b) To analyze the precipitates by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected from 5 individuals and the samples were clarified by centrifugation. In a first series of experiments radiolabelled delmopinol hydrochloride at the final concentrations of 1.6 mM and 6.4 mM was incubated with the saliva samples and centrifuged. The supernatants and the pellets were immediately transferred to scintillation vials and radiolabelled delmopinol was detected by using scintillation counting. In a second series of experiments, similar saliva-delmopinol mixtures were centrifuged and the supernatants and pellets were prepared for electrophoresis. Videodensitometry was used to quantify the relative density of stained protein in the pellet samples within four ranges of molecular weight (10-21.5, 21.5-26, 26-45, 45-300 kDa). The results of this study showed that the amounts of labeled delmopinol found in the precipitates were higher at 6.4 mM delmopinol than at 1.6 mM. The amount of salivary protein precipitated by delmopinol was found to depend on delmopinol concentration as well as salivary composition. Delmopinol interactions to salivary proteins could influence protein availability on oral cavity surfaces.