[Adenylate cyclase and guanylate cyclase in the saliva of healthy persons and in periodontitis].

Studies of mixed salivary pools of normal subjects aged 22-35 and of patients with periodontitis of slight and medium degree, aged 25-55, have shown a 1.5 times lower activity of salivary adenylate cyclase in the patients with slight periodontitis as against normal subjects and an almost two times lower activity of this enzyme in medium-severity periodontitis patients as against those with the slight condition. The directions of changes in guanylate cyclase activities are contrary; this enzyme activity is elevated in the patients with the slight-degree condition vs. the norm, and is still more elevated in those with the medium-severity disease. Some sex-associated differences do not influence the total regularity of adenylate cyclase activity reduction and guanylate cyclase activity elevation, augmenting with the severity of the pathologic process in the periodontium. The mechanism of action of these two cyclases in periodontitis is discussed, as is the necessity of paying due attention to changes in their activities when analyzing the pathogenesis of periodontitis.