Journal of Dental Research, Vol 69, 1494-1499, Copyright © 1990 by International & American Associations for Dental Research Online Journals
Localization of chromogranins, non-neuron-specific enolase, and different forms of somatostatins in the submandibular salivary glands of mice
A. Letic-Gavrilovic and K. Abe
Department of Oral Biochemistry, Fukuoka Dental College, Japan.
The localizations of chromogranins A, B, and C, neuron-specific enolase
(NSE, gamma gamma-type) and non-NSE (alpha alpha-type), and different forms
of somatostatins were immunocytochemically identified. The localizations
were compared with those of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and nerve growth
factor (NGF) in the submandibular salivary glands (SMG) of male mice at
five to six weeks of age, with use of a variety of antibodies and the
peroxidase-antiperoxidase (PAP) and avidin-biotin complex (ABC) detection
methods. In the SMG of male mice, the major chromogranin present was
chromogranin A, whereas chromogranins B and C were not detected at these
ages by either method. Chromogranin A-like immunoreactivity was located in
the granular convoluted tubule (GCT) cells of the SMG, whereas non-NSE
immunoreactivity was observed throughout the duct system and in some
acinar-associated cells. NSE was not detected in any part of the SMG. The
distribution of chromogranin A and somatostatins in the GCT cells was
similar to that of EGF and NGF. Our results strongly suggest that
chromogranin A and somatostatins, but not chromogranin B or C, may be
useful as a means of differentiation of the cells in the duct system of the
SMG responsible for the production of biologically-active factors.
