title: [The study of the activities of salivary proteolytic enzymes in children].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The activities of proteolytic enzymes in saliva were assayed to determine whether they were related to caries sensitivity and gender in the children.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fluorometric and photometric methods were applied. Three enzymes included leucine amino peptidase, dipeptidyl peptidase IV and trypsin-like proteinase.
  
  
  RESULTS
  1. Only dipeptidyl peptidase IV and trypsin-like proteinase were demonstrated in saliva, they were obviously lower than those in dental plaque (P < 0.05); 2. The activities of proteolytic enzymes of male and female children as well as caries-active and caries-free children showed no difference.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Proteolytic enzymes play little role in caries formation of deciduous tooth.
authors.affiliation: College of Stomatology, West China University of Medical Sciences.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000201:enzymology; D003733:Dental Caries Susceptibility; D018819:Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4 / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007931:Leucyl Aminopeptidase / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000378:metabolism*; D012463:Saliva / Q000201:enzymology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D014094:Tooth, Deciduous; D014357:Trypsin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; D007931:Leucyl Aminopeptidase; D018819:Dipeptidyl Peptidase 4; D014357:Trypsin