Salivary protein characteristics from saliva of carious lesionfree and high caries adults.

It has been argued that specific salivary proteins could have a protective effect against caries, but data from the many available studies are rather contradictory. The purpose of this study was to analyze whether there is a relationship between protein concentration, electrophoretic profile and concentration of salivary IgA and the presence or absence of caries in adults. Adults with high caries activity (HC) and without caries lesions (CF), assessed by ICDAS criteria, were asked to provide unstimulated saliva samples. Protein concentration (mug/mL) was determined using the Bradford method. Western blotting was used to detect IgA. Data were compared using Student's t test at p<0.05. Total protein concentration in CF was higher (50.65+/-7.5 mug/mL) than in HC individuals (26.80+/-2.5 mug/mL) (p=0.001). More protein bands were visualized in the gels from CF than the HC group (p=0.001). CF subjects showed higher salivary IgA concentration (11.27+/-0.5 mug) than HC individuals (1.71+/-0.2mug) (p=0.001).Salivary composition in high caries experience and cariesfree young adults seems to differ in terms of the type and amount of proteins. Further research is needed to expand these findings.