title: Role of saliva proteinase 3 in dental caries.
abstract: Salivary analysis can be used to assess the severity of caries. Of the known salivary proteins, a paucity of information exists concerning the role of proteinase 3 (PR3), a serine protease of the chymotrypsin family, in dental caries. Whole, unstimulated saliva was collected from children with varying degrees of active caries and tested using a Human Protease Array Kit and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A significantly decreased concentration of salivary PR3 was noted with increasing severity of dental caries (P<0.01); a positive correlation (r=0.87; P<0.01; Pearson's correlation analysis) was also observed between salivary pH and PR3 concentration. In an antibacterial test, a PR3 concentration of 250 ng·mL⁻¹ or higher significantly inhibited Streptococcus mutans UA159 growth after 12 h of incubation (P<0.05). These studies indicate that PR3 is a salivary factor associated with the severity of dental caries, as suggested by the negative relationship between salivary PR3 concentration and the severity of caries as well as the susceptibility of S. mutans to PR3.
authors.forename: Teng-Yu
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Wen-Jie
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Song-Tao
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Wen-Wen
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Lin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Jie-Hua
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wan-Lu
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Xiao-Qian
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jiao
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Xue-Dong
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D053146:Myeloblastin / Q000378:metabolism*; D012463:Saliva / Q000201:enzymology*
chemical_list: D053146:Myeloblastin