title: Absence of soluble CD14 in saliva of young patients with dental caries.
abstract: It is generally accepted that salivary components are important for dental health, but to date no clear correlation has been found between one or more of these components and the outcome of dental caries. The identification of salivary factors preventing, favoring or signaling dental caries might help to control the disease. In the present study, western blotting analysis of whole saliva from 20 healthy caries-free children showed the presence of the soluble form of CD14, a bacterial pattern-recognition receptor for many bacterial components that is involved in the innate immune response. The identity of the protein was confirmed through N-terminal sequencing by Edman degradation, and by partial sequencing with mass spectrometry of tryptic peptides. Conversely, CD14 was completely absent in the saliva of 20 age-matched patients affected by two to eight carious lesions, but appeared in their saliva a few weeks after dental restoration. These results suggest that the absence of salivary soluble CD14 could represent an useful index of caries activity, and might be used to detect early carious lesions not visible by oral inspection.
authors: Department of Genetics, Biology, and Biochemistry, University of Torino, Italy.
authors: Loredana
authors: L
authors: Bergandi
authors: Patrizia
authors: P
authors: Defabianis
authors: Francesca
authors: F
authors: Re
authors: Giulio
authors: G
authors: Preti
authors: Elisabetta
authors: E
authors: Aldieri
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Garetto
authors: Amalia
authors: A
authors: Bosia
authors: Dario
authors: D
authors: Ghigo
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002648:Child; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D012472:Salivation / Q000276:immunology; D012636:Secretory Rate / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D018950:Lipopolysaccharide Receptors