title: Measurement of activin B in human saliva and localization of activin subunits in rat salivary glands.
abstract: The present paper is the first report to demonstrate that measurable amounts of activin B are secreted into the saliva. The results show wide fluctuations in activin B concentrations during the menstrual cycle with peak values detected at the follicular phase. Estrogen replacement therapy was found to increase salivary activin B levels in post-menopausal subjects. The concentration in males was negligible. These data suggest that activin B concentrations in the human saliva may be under hormonal regulation and propose that salivary activin B measurements may prove useful in investigating the as yet less well defined local and/or physiological roles of activin B. The present paper reports, in addition, the immunohistochemical localization of activin/inhibin subunits in the duct systems of the rat submandibular, sublingual and parotid salivary glands.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Medical School, University of Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bläuer
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wichmann
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Punnonen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tuohimaa
mesh_terms: D028341:Activins; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D004847:Epithelial Cells; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D008875:Middle Aged; D009842:Oligopeptides; D010455:Peptides / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D017698:Postmenopause; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D009842:Oligopeptides; D010455:Peptides; C044147:activin B; D028341:Activins; C048617:myelopeptides