Salivary Ca Research Articles

The chronically reserpinized rat as a possible model for cystic fibrosis. VI. Synergistic effects of isoproterenol on Ca++ and protein in the submaxillary gland.

Elevated calcium and protein concentration are a consistent abnormality in submaxillary saliva from patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and from experimental animal models developed by the chronic administration of either isoproterenol (IPR) or reserpine. The possibility that the effects of the two drugs may be additive was investigated by assessing their combined effects on glandular and salivary C++ and protein in the rat submaxillary gland. Individually, their effects were also assessed in relation to the dose used. Results indicate that: (1) treatment for 7 days with 0.05, 0.50, and 5.0 mg/kg daily dose of reserpine caused, respectively, a 45%, 95%, and 120% increase in glandular Ca++ and a 9.3%, 16.5%, and 37.4% increase in glandular protein; (2) treatment for 7 days with a 5.0 mg/kg daily dose of isoproterenol caused a 138% increase in gland Ca++ and a 12.38% increase in gland protein. Treatment with a 5.0 mg/rat daily dose of this drug caused increases of 166% and 10.3% in gland Ca++ and protein; (3) in experiments involving a combination of the two drugs, isoproterenol was administered in a 5.0 mg/kg daily dose from days 1-7 and reserpine in a 0.5 mg/kg daily dose from days 4-10 of the treatment schedule. This procedure resulted in (a) a 217% increase in gland Ca++ and a 25.7% increase in gland protein; (b) a marked accumulation of a granular, basophilic material in acinar cells and the development of intraductal precipitates; (c) the secretion of turbid saliva with high Ca++ and protein concentrations after a secretory dose of isoproterenol (this type of stimulation also reduced the gland Ca++ (50%) and protein (20%) contents and produced vacuolization in the acinar cells); (d) the secretion of saliva with elevated Ca++ and protein in response to pilocarpine (these elevated concentrations were, however, one-fifth of those obtained after isoproterenol stimulation); (e) the secretion of smaller volume of saliva after both types of stimulation. These findings indicate that both IPR and reserpine have a dose-related and significant effect on submaxillary gland Ca++ and protein and that their individual effects are synergistic. The implications of this synergism for the physiologic state of the submaxillary gland and for the secretory abnormality of cystic fibrosis are discussed.

Submaxillary secretion in rats treated with guanethidine

The composition of final submaxillary saliva and of whole gland homegenates were compared in rats treated with 14 daily doses of guanethidine (20 mg/kg body weight) and in untreated controls after stimulation with pilocarpine (10 mg/kg) or carbamylcholine (50–100 mg/kg). A 44% reduction in the volume of saliva and elevations in the salivary concentrations of K +, Ca 2+ and protein were found in the treated animals after pilocarpine stimulation. Similarly, a 25% reduction in salivary volume and elevations in salivary Ca 2+ and protein concentrations were observed following stimulation with carbamylcholine. A less significant elevation in salivary K + was seen after this secretagogue. The Na + and protein contents, but not the K + and Ca 2+ contents, were found to be elevated in the glands of the treated animals in the resting (unstimulated) state. After stimulation with the two secretagogues, however, similar changes in glandular Na + and K + contents were found in the glands of control and treated animals. The glandular water content was also similar in both types of glands in the resting and stimulated states. It is concluded that a reduced salivary secretion, rather than supersensitivity, is observed in the rat submaxillary gland following chronic guanethidine administration. The drug treatment does not impair the glandular electrolyte changes that occur upon stimulation, but most likely impairs the release of protein from the gland and also transductal K + transport. Both these effects may result from the depletion of sympathetic neurotransmitter caused by the guanethidine administration.

Effect of parathyroid extract (PTE) on electrolytes, phosphorus and protein content of parotid saliva

The excretion pattern of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), sodium (Na), phosphorus (P) and protein of the parotid saliva was studied before and during PTE administration in 6 normal subjects aged 24 to 32 years. The Stensen's duct was cannulated and the flow rate of saliva measured before and after stimulation by lemon juice. After a control period, 50 U of PTE were given i.v. followed by an infusion of 2 U/min. for 60 to 90 min. In the absence of any change in serum Ca and P, PTE induced a significant increase of salivary Ca (p< 0.001), P (p< 0.005) and protein (p< 0.001) concentrations. These changes were independent of the flow rate. Na excretion was also increased (p< 0.005) but only at high flow rates. PTE had no significant effect on Mg and K concentrations. These results provide evidence that PTE acts on the parotid gland by affecting Ca and P transport and protein secretion.

Salivary Electrolytes in Infants Receiving Digoxin

Recent adult studies have suggested an increase in salivary K+ and Ca++ in patients receiving digitalis. In order to investigate this phenomenon in the pediatric patient, whole saliva electrolytes were studied in 32 hospitalized infants (mean age 10 weeks); 17 receiving digoxin (aean digoxin level 2.Ing/ml) and 15 controls. Simultaneous serum electrolytes were also measured. Mean salivary K+ was significantly increased, 25,4±3.7mEq/l in the digitalised infants when compared to controls, 21.6±3mEq/l (p < 01). Mean salivary Ca++ was also elevated in the infants receiving digoxin, 4.3±2.8mEq/l versus controls 3.0±.96mEq/l (p < .05). The K+ x Ca++ product was 111.4±84.0 in infants receiving digoxin and 65.3±27.1 for controls (p < .025). Salivary Na+ was not different in the two groups. Serum K+ was elevated in the group receiving digoxin 5.1±.69 as compared to controls 4.6±.68 (p < .05) but serum Ca++ and Na+ concentration were similar. The mean salivary electrolyte concentrations in control infants and those receiving digoxin were comparable to levels reported for adults. The Increase in K+ concentration in saliva of infants receiving digoxin with no change in salivary Na+ lends support to the hypothesis that the increase in K+ in saliva is due to K+ loss from cells or elevated plasma K+ rather than inhibition of Na+/K+ exchange.

Human Saliva

Recently a survey of international literature concerning salivary Ca was made by Becks and Wainwright (3). They called attention to the inadequacy of present knowledge of the subject, and to the extreme variation of results reported by former investigators. It was found that salivary-Ca values published by 26 authors varied from 1.5 to 33 mg. percent. None of these investigators showed definite correlation between salivary-Ca content and dental disorders. The 26 authors who attempted to determine salivary-Ca content were divided into three groups: (a) 8 used methods no longer acceptable because technical procedures for Ca analysis have been greatly improved; (b) 8 did not satisfactorily report the technical procedures, making it impossible to judge the reliability of the findings; (c) 10 reported in detail the methods, which showed many differences in technic. These differences suggested a possible reason for the wide range of results. Only the data of Clark and Shell (5), Becks (1, 2), Karshan, Krasnow and Krejci (9), Krasnow (11), Leonard (12), and Horton, Marrack and Price (6), are useful in establishing normal standards. From a strictly scientific aspect, only the results of the five cases of Clark and Shell are acceptable. This unexpected finding indicated definite need for further thorough studies of salivary-Ca content. Becks and Wainwright (3) showed that the very wide range of results in previous work was due partly to the methods of Ca analysis, and partly to the basis on which subjects were selected. Differences that affected results occurred in preliminary treatments of saliva