Potential Applications of Human Saliva As Diagnostic Fluid

Overview

Journal Acta Otorhinolaryngol Ital

Specialty Otorhinolaryngology

Date 2012 Feb 11

PMID 22323845

Citations 41

Authors

M Castagnola

P M Picciotti

I Messana

C Fanali

A Fiorita

T Cabras

L Calo

E Pisano

G C Passali

F Iavarone

G Paludetti

E Scarano

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The use of human saliva as a diagnostic and prognostic fluid has until recently been somewhat disregarded. Although sample collection is non-invasive, physiological and genetic variations were largely responsible for its infrequent application in the past. Recently, several proteomic studies contributed to partial elucidation of the salivary proteome (more than 2400 protein components have been characterized), both in terms of composition, contributions to whole saliva and genetic/physiological variability. On this basis, is not too optimistic to believe that in the near future human saliva could become a relevant diagnostic fluid. In this review, the characterization by proteomic approaches of new salivary markers in oncology, head and neck carcinoma (oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, and salivary glands), breast and gastric cancers, salivary gland function and disease, Sjögren syndrome, systemic sclerosis, dental and gingival pathology, systemic, psychiatric and neurological diseases, is described.

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