Elevated levels of human salivary epidermal growth factor after oral and Juxtaoral surgery

Purpose: Saliva provides a natural reservoir of growth factors whose purpos es have remained elusive. Animal studies suggest that saliva-derived growth factors play a role in systemic and oral wound healing. In the current stu dy, salivary concentrations of epidermal growth factor (EGF) were monitored in patients before and after oral and juxtaoral surgery. Patients and Methods: Whole resting saliva was collected from a group of pa tients with parotid gland tumors requiring surgical resection. Another grou p of patients a history of periodontal disease requiring surgical intervent ion also provided whole salivary samples. Healthy age- and sex-matched pers ons served as controls. Results: Salivary EGF levels were elevated in both groups of patients withi n 24 hours after surgery. In the periodontitis patients, a second smaller p eak was assayed noted between 36 and 48 hours. After this, EGF concentratio ns returned to levels comparable to healthy controls in both experimental g roups. Conclusions: Although the local cells have the ability to synthesize and se crete growth factors at a site of injury, these results suggest that surger y stimulates increased synthesis and secretion of growth factors in the sal iva as well. This increased level of saliva-derived growth factor may also aid in promoting wound healing.