The effects of autonomic drugs on the concentration of kallikrein-like proteases and cysteine-proteinase inhibitor (cystatin) in rat whole saliva.
The influence of isoproterenol, phenylephrine, propranolol, and reserpine on the salivary concentration of kallikrein-like proteases and cysteine-proteinase inhibitor (cystatin) was investigated. The protease activities in saliva from treated rats were studied by means of five different chromogenic substrates. In the isoproterenol- and phenylephrine-treated groups, a significant decrease in protease activity was found, compared with the control group. The protease activity of saliva was found to be elevated by about 25-50% after chronic administration of reserpine (0.5 mg/kg). Specific polyclonal antibodies to rat glandular kallikrein and cystatin were utilized to determine the salivary concentrations of these proteins. Results from the use of anti-kallikrein antibodies in Western blot analysis and crossed immuno-electrophoresis indicated that differences observed in the kallikrein-like protease levels of saliva from treated animals were due to altered immunoreactive protein levels. The salivary concentrations of kallikrein and cystatin were measured by direct radio-immunoassays with specific antibodies. The concentration of cystatin in the saliva of normal animals or animals treated with reserpine or propranolol was very low, but was increased about 100-fold in phenylephrine-treated animals and more than 5000-fold in isoproterenol-treated animals. Western blot analysis with antibodies to submandibular gland mucin, glutamine/glutamic-acid-rich protein (GRP), and proline-rich proteins ( PRP) were also utilized to compare the effects of autonomic drugs on these salivary proteins. The salivary mucin showed an increase in reactivity and increased mobility in saliva from both isoproterenol- and phenylephrine-treated animals.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)[1]References
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