타액 분비 저하는 타액의 단백질 발현에 대한 영향: α-Amylase, Mucin 7 및 Cystatin S.

Abstract

Hyposalivation (SGH) is a condition characterized by a decrease in saliva production. This condition has been shown to affect the secretion and function of salivary proteins, including α-AMY, MUC7, and CST-S. However, the relationship between the severity of SGH and the secretion of these salivary proteins is not fully understood. The aim of this study was to compare the expression levels of α-AMY, MUC7, and CST-S in patients with SGH of different severity and healthy individuals as a control group, to investigate the potential link between the severity of SGH and the secretion of target salivary proteins. Using Western blot analysis, we analyzed the expression of α-AMY, MUC7, and CST-S in a total of 282 unstimulated whole-mouth saliva (UWMS) samples, including the control group (n=92) and the SGH group (n=177), we found that the expression levels of α-AMY (p<0.001), MUC7 (p<0.001), and CST-S (p<0.001) in the SGH group were statistically lower compared to the control group. Then we further divided the SGH group into the mild SGH group (n=34), the moderate SGH group (n=105), and the severe SGH group (n=38). To compare with the control group, the expression levels of α-AMY in the mild SGH group were not much changing. But the significant reduction of α-AMY presented in the moderate SGH group (p<0.001) and severe SGH group (p<0.001), especially in the severe SGH group. Similarly, the results showed an elevated decrease in the expression of MUC7 in the mild SGH, moderate SGH (p<0.001), and severe SGH (p<0.001) groups. Moreover, the CST-S expression progressively decreased with increasing SGH severity levels with the expression of CST-S statistically lower in the mild SGH (p<0.01), moderate SGH (p<0.001), and severe SGH (p<0.001) groups compared to the control group. Our study found significant differences in the secretion of α-AMY, MUC7, and CST-S between individuals with SGH and healthy individuals. As the severity of SGH increased, there was a consistent decrease in the expression levels of these salivary proteins, supporting the association between SGH, changes in salivary protein composition, and reduced saliva quantity. The results suggest that the severity of SGH may affect the secretion of these salivary proteins.