title: Autonomic nervous system regulates secretion of anti-inflammatory prohormone SMR1 from rat salivary glands.
abstract: The autonomic nervous system regulates the secretion of bioactive proteins and peptides from salivary glands that can be important in systemic physiological responses. The prohormone submandibular rat-1, which is highly expressed in rat submandibular glands, can be cleaved to produce polypeptides with analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities. Human genes related to submandibular rat-1 have conserved biological functions and are potentially important in pain suppression, erectile function, and inflammation. In this study we describe the differential expression and posttranslational modification of submandibular rat-1 protein in salivary glands, the urogenital tract, lung, blood, and saliva in male Sprague-Dawley and Brown Norway rats. Submandibular rat-1 protein is secreted into saliva after the administration of beta-adrenergic or cholinergic agonists. Removal of the sympathetic ganglion that innervates the salivary glands results in increased levels of submandibular rat-1 protein in salivary glands. The secretion of submandibular rat-1 in response to physiological stress may provide a large pool of submandibular rat-1-derived peptide products that can promote analgesia and decrease inflammation locally and systemically. This pathway may be conserved among mammals and may constitute an important anti-inflammatory and analgesic response to stress.
authors.affiliation: 550A Heritage Medical Research Ctr., Pulmonary Research Group, Dept. of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Univ. of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada T6G 2S2.
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: St Laurent
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Hoeve
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Forsythe
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Suresh
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Mathison
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Befus
mesh_terms: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery; D018679:Cholinergic Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D015171:Ganglionectomy; D006031:Glycosylation; D007249:Inflammation / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008168:Lung / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000378:metabolism; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational / Q000187:drug effects; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D011914:Rats, Inbred BN; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000187:drug effects / Q000294:innervation* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D012472:Salivation / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors; D014566:Urogenital System / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D000906:Antibodies; D018679:Cholinergic Agonists; D011498:Protein Precursors; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides; C066861:Smr3b protein, rat