title: Interindividual variation, correlations, and sex-related differences in the salivary biochemistry of young healthy adults.
abstract: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted to evaluate interindividual biochemical variation in unstimulated whole saliva in a population of 268 systemically healthy young students, 18-30 yr of age, with no apparent caries lesions or periodontal disease. Salivary flow rate, protein content, pH, buffering capacity, mucins MUC5B and MUC7, albumin, secretory IgA, cystatin S, lactoferrin, chitinase, amylase, lysozyme, and proteases were measured using ELISAs and enzymatic activity assays. Significant differences were found between male and female subjects. Salivary pH, buffering capacity, protein content, MUC5B, secretory IgA, and chitinase activity were all lower in female subjects compared with male subjects, whereas MUC7 and lysozyme activity were higher in female subjects. There was no significant difference between sexes in salivary flow rate, albumin, cystatin S, amylase, and protease activity. Principal component analysis (PCA) and spectral clustering (SC) were used to assess intervariable relationships within the data set and to identify subgroups. Spectral clustering identified two clusters of participants, which were subsequently described. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the distribution and inter-relations of a set of important salivary biochemical variables in a systemically healthy young adult population, free of apparent caries lesions and periodontal disease. It highlights significant gender differences in salivary biochemistry.
authors: Top Institute Food and Nutrition, Wageningen, The Netherlands; Department of Oral Biochemistry, Academic Center for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA), University of Amsterdam and Free University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: Andrei
authors: A
authors: Prodan
authors: Henk S
authors: HS
authors: Brand
authors: Antoon J M
authors: AJ
authors: Ligtenberg
authors: Sultan
authors: S
authors: Imangaliyev
authors: Evgeni
authors: E
authors: Tsivtsivadze
authors: Fridus
authors: F
authors: van der Weijden
authors: Wim
authors: W
authors: Crielaard
authors: Bart J F
authors: BJ
authors: Keijser
authors: Enno C I
authors: EC
authors: Veerman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000418:Albumins / Q000032:analysis; D000681:Amylases / Q000032:analysis; D002021:Buffers; D002688:Chitinases / Q000032:analysis; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory / Q000032:analysis; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D055257:Mucin-5B / Q000032:analysis; D009077:Mucins / Q000032:analysis; D009113:Muramidase / Q000032:analysis; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases / Q000032:analysis; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D055333:Salivary Cystatins / Q000032:analysis; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides / Q000032:analysis; D012636:Secretory Rate / Q000502:physiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D002021:Buffers; C525173:CST4 protein, human; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory; C524578:MUC5B protein, human; C083238:MUC7 protein, human; D055257:Mucin-5B; D009077:Mucins; D055333:Salivary Cystatins; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides; D000681:Amylases; D002688:Chitinases; D009113:Muramidase; D010447:Peptide Hydrolases; D007781:Lactoferrin
keywords: oral health; saliva biochemistry; sex-related differences