Lactoferrin, amylase and mucin MUC5B and their relation to the oral microflora in hyposalivation of different origins

There are several reasons for hyposalivation, each affecting the salivary c omposition in different ways. The aim of this study was to analyze and comp are lactoferrin, amylase and mucin MUC5B in stimulated whole saliva collect ed from subjects with hyposalivation of different origins and to relate the results to the presence of some microbial species associated with oral dis orders. Albumin was determined as a marker of serum leakage. The characteri stic feature for subjects with radiation-induced hyposalivation was a large increase in lactoferrin, probably due to leakage through inflamed mucosal tissues, while it was a high albumin content for the group with primary Sjo gren's syndrome, probably due to disruption of the fragile mucosa. The sali va composition in subjects with hyposalivation of unknown origin or due to medicines was close to that in the healthy controls. All three hyposalivati on groups tended to display a decrease in the concentrations of MUC5B and a mylase. None of the microbial species analyzed (streptococci, mutans strept ococci, Lactobacillus spp., Fusobacterium nucleatum, Prevotella intermedial /Prevotella nigrescens, Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus and enteric s) correlated with concentration of MUC5B in saliva. The RT group, having t he highest concentration of lactoferrin, had the lowest median number of F nucleatum and was the only group in which median number of P. intermedia/P. nigrescens was zero.