Jl. Jensen et al., PHYSIOLOGICAL REGULATION OF THE SECRETION OF HISTATINS AND STATHERINSIN HUMAN PAROTID-SALIVA, Journal of dental research, 73(12), 1994, pp. 1811-1817
The small salivary phosphoproteins, histatins and statherins, have imp
ortant functions in the oral cavity in terms of antimicrobial actions
and regulation of calcium phosphate homeostasis. Neither the effects o
f various physiological stimuli on their secretidon nor the nature of
the efferent receptor involved in the stimulus-secretion coupling has
been determined previously. These aspects are important for improved u
nderstanding of the secretory control of salivary proteins and may hav
e implications regarding the effects of specific medications on saliva
ry constituents and oral health. The effects of graded mechanical (che
wing on short and long silicone tubings) and gustatory stimulation (0.
5, 1.5, and 5.0% citric acid) on the secretion of histatins and stathe
rins were studied in the presence and absence of adrenolytic agents (n
= 10). In this model, secretory rates of both proteins increased with
increases in flow rate, with 5.0% citric acid representing a particul
arly potent stimulus. Histatin and statherin secretory rates were sign
ificantly reduced by the beta(1)-adrenolytic agent (histatins to 58 to
72% and statherins to 11 to 29% of that in corresponding control expe
riments), but not by the alpha(1)-adrenolytic agent. Since the beta(1)
-adrenergic receptors played an important role in the stimulus-secreti
on coupling of these proteins, protective salivary functions in the or
al cavity may be compromised during beta(1)-adrenolytic treatment.