An analysis of submandibular salivary gland function with desipramine and age in female NIA Fischer 344 rats

Dry mouth is one of the major side effects of cyclic antidepressants, which are still a dominating group of psychotherapeutic drugs used in the treatm ent of depression. In this study we analyzed the effects of 28 day tricycli c antidepressant administration and the reversibility of this treatment fol lowing a 15 day washout period on different parameters in submandibular gla nd function in aging rats. We postulated that desipramine would decrease gl and function, accented with age, and delay recovery in senescent animals. I n contrast to body weight, desipramine had no effect on glandular wet weigh t. While glandular DNA synthesis was changed with age and treatment, the co ncentration of total membrane and soluble proteins was not affected. Flow r ate was significantly changed with age, but desipramine increased salivary flow in the youngest animals only. Neither age nor treatment influenced sal ivary protein concentrations, but the total amount of proteins secreted, re vealed perturbation with agr. SDS- polyacrylamide gel analysis revealed cha nges in protein expression with treatment and age. Desipramine decreased ep idermal growth factor (EGF) levels in all age groups but increased the secr etion of peroxidase and lysozyme. Analysis of total RNA showed a pronounced decrease with age. These data indicate that desipramine has profound effec ts on submandibular salivary gland function. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Irel and Ltd. All rights reserved.