Mucin levels in saliva of adolescents with dental caries.
BACKGROUND
Human saliva, a complex secretion that contains a mixture of inorganic and organic molecules, plays an essential role in the maintenance of oral health. Mucins are the major macromolecular component of the secretion and are considered the first line of defense for epithelial tissues. The aim of this study was to compare levels of mucins (MUC5B, MUC7, and MUC1) in saliva of young subjects with dental caries.


METHODS
All patients had DMF (decay/missing/filled) higher than value 0. Eight subjects with DMF=3 (control group) and 27 adolescents with DMF >11 (research group) were recruited for this study. Clinical evaluation procedures were oral examination, including tooth, periodontal, oral mucosal status, and collection of saliva samples. Saliva was collected for mucin assay. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to quantitate MUC5B, MUC7, and MUC1.


RESULTS
Our results indicate that adolescents with very high intensity of dental caries disease had increased levels of MUC1 and MUC5B. The membrane mucin MUC1 protein levels in the group with DMF>11 (research group) were higher compared to the group with DMF=3 (control group), and the increase was statistically significant (p=0.011). Similarly, secreted mucin MUC5B protein levels were higher (p=0.06) in the group with DMF>11 (research group). Although MUC7 protein levels were slightly reduced in symptomatic subjects, the decrease was statistically insignificant (p=0.918).


CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggest links between the production of mucins, especially MUC1 and MUC5B in saliva, and dental caries disease.
Department of Medical Chemistry, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok, Poland.
Halina
H
Gabryel-Porowska
Department of Biotechnology, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok, Poland.
Agnieszka
A
Gornowicz
Department of Biotechnology, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok, Poland.
Anna
A
Bielawska
Maxillofacial and Plastic Surgery Clinic, Białystok, Poland.
Anna
A
Wójcicka
Department of Developmental Period Medicine and Pediatric Nursing, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok, Poland.
Elżbieta
E
Maciorkowska
Maxillofacial and Plastic Surgery Clinic, Białystok, Poland.
Stanisława Zyta
SZ
Grabowska
Department of Synthesis and Technology of Drugs, Medical University of Białystok, Białystok, Poland.
Krzysztof
K
Bielawski
D000293:Adolescent; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000378:metabolism*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000032:analysis*; D055257:Mucin-5B / Q000032:analysis*; D011044:Poland; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D018396:Mucin-1; D055257:Mucin-5B