title: Changes of salivary functions in experimental periodontitis model rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to investigate the mechanism of salivary dysfunction in an experimental periodontitis rat model and to examine the improvements in salivary secretion following treatment of the experimental periodontitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the experimental periodontitis rat model, which included a unilateral ligature for 4 weeks around the second upper molar, several salivary functions were investigated. Changes in the salivary function were evaluated 4 weeks after removal of the ligature in some rats.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The periodontitis model showed significant reductions in the weight of the bilateral major salivary glands and pilocarpine-induced salivary secretion. The model also showed an increase in the number of apoptotic cells in bilateral salivary glands. According to Ca(2+) imaging and Western blotting, there were no differences in the muscarine-induced intracellular Ca(2+) mobilization in acinar cells or in the M3 receptor and AQP5 expression levels in the salivary glands between the sham and the periodontitis model. Following removal of the ligature, differences in the weights of salivary glands and pilocarpine-induced salivary secretion between the sham and the periodontitis model animals were not found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that experimental periodontitis leads to hyposalivation and that relief from it improves salivary function. It is likely that lower levels of salivary secretion are caused by the decrease of functional acinar cells in salivary glands in the experimental periodontitis model, and the bilateral gland effects in the unilateral periodontitis model are caused by systemic rather than by local effects.
authors.affiliation: Division of Physiology, Kyushu Dental University, 2-6-1, Manazuru, Kokurakitaku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 803-8580, Japan; Division of Periodontology, Kyushu Dental University, 2-6-1, Manazuru, Kokurakitaku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 803-8580, Japan.
authors.forename: Mariko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakamura-Kiyama
authors.affiliation: Division of Physiology, Kyushu Dental University, 2-6-1, Manazuru, Kokurakitaku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 803-8580, Japan.
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.affiliation: Division of Biochemistry, Kyushu Dental University, 2-6-1, Manazuru, Kokurakitaku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, 803-8580, Japan.
authors.forename: Wataru
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Masuda
authors.affiliation: Division of Physiology, Kyushu Dental University, 2-6-1, Manazuru, Kokurakitaku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 803-8580, Japan.
authors.forename: Suzuro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hitomi
authors.affiliation: Division of Oral Pathology, Kyushu Dental University, 2-6-1, Manazuru, Kokurakitaku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, 803-8580, Japan.
authors.forename: Kou
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsuo
authors.affiliation: Division of Periodontology, Kyushu Dental University, 2-6-1, Manazuru, Kokurakitaku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 803-8580, Japan.
authors.forename: Michihiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Usui
authors.affiliation: Division of Periodontology, Kyushu Dental University, 2-6-1, Manazuru, Kokurakitaku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 803-8580, Japan.
authors.forename: Keisuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakashima
authors.affiliation: Division of Periodontology, Kyushu Dental University, 2-6-1, Manazuru, Kokurakitaku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 803-8580, Japan.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yokota
authors.affiliation: Division of Physiology, Kyushu Dental University, 2-6-1, Manazuru, Kokurakitaku, Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 803-8580, Japan. Electronic address: ine@kyu-dent.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Kiyotoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inenaga
mesh_terms: D061354:Acinar Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008026:Ligation; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D010518:Periodontitis / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010862:Pilocarpine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism*; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000378:metabolism; D014987:Xerostomia / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D010862:Pilocarpine; D002118:Calcium
keywords: Animal model; Apoptosis of acinar cells; Experimental periodontitis; Salivary secretion