QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Purchase Article View Shopping Cart Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Johnson, D. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Johnson, D. A.

Effect of a Liquid Diet on the Protein Composition of Rat Parotid Saliva^1,2,

Department of Oral Biology, School of Dentistry, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195

The object of the present study was to determine if the secretory proteins of rat parotid saliva were altered following parotid gland atrophy induced by feeding rats a liquid stock diet which eliminated mastication. Compared to rats fed the pelleted stock diet, the parotid glands of rats fed liquid stock diet showed 40% to 55% reductions in gland weight and content of RNA, amylase, and protein. Gland DNA content was reduced by 26%. The concentration of protein and the activities of three secretory enzymes in parotid saliva were reduced by 40% to 70%. The secretory enzymes were affected in a nonparallel manner so that per milligram of secretory protein DNase was increased, while RNase and amylase were reduced. Examination of the protein composition by acrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that several secretory proteins were no longer present. This study showed that feeding rats a standard stock diet, but in liquid form to eliminate mastication, results in a reduction in the protein concentration of parotid saliva, a loss of several secretory proteins and nonparallel changes in some of the proteins which remain.

KEY WORDS: • parotid gland • saliva • atrophy

¹ Supported by NIH grant DE 04468.

² Presented in part at the International Association of Dental Research, March 1979 New Orleans. (J. Dent. Res. 58 (Special Issue A), 290 1979).

³ Current address is Department of Periodontics, Dental School, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX 78284.

Manuscript received 4 March 1981.