Journal of Dental Research, Vol 65, 62-66, Copyright © 1986 by International & American Associations for Dental Research Online Journals
Immunoglobulins and innate antimicrobial factors in whole saliva of patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
J. Tenovuo, O. P. Lehtonen, J. Viikari, H. Larjava, P. Vilja and P. Tuohimaa
We analyzed the flow rate and composition of paraffin-stimulated whole
saliva samples from 35 adult diabetic patients and their age- and
sex-matched, non-diabetic, clinically healthy controls. All patients had
insulin-dependent diabetes (IDDM) with a mean (+/- S.D.) duration of 14.0
+/- 9.1 years. The saliva analysis included the quantitation of total
protein, amylase, immunoglobulins (isotypes A, G, and M), and the
non-antibody, innate antimicrobial factors (lysozyme, lactoferrin, salivary
peroxidase, myeloperoxidase, thiocyanate, and hypothiocyanite). The whole
saliva samples from diabetic patients had significantly higher amounts of
IgA (p less than 0.001) and IgG (p less than 0.05) than did the controls.
No differences between the study groups were observed in flow rate, protein
content, amylase activity, or IgM. The levels of innate defense factors
were similar in both study groups except for salivary peroxidase, which was
higher (p less than 0.02) among diabetics than among controls. Our results
indicate that the antimicrobial defense capacity of whole saliva is not
impaired in diabetic patients.
