Enzymatic and proteomic salivary bio markers for erosion

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Christian Hannig; Professor Dr. Matthias Hannig; Professorin Dr. Nadine Schlüter
• Subject Area: Dentistry, Oral Surgery
• Term: from 2017 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 392601780

Dental erosion is caused by acids of non-bacterial origin. Particularly in cases of frequent exposures to exogenous (dietary) or endogenous (gastric) acids, it can cause serious defects, pain and dysfunction. Though the impact of acids has clearly been identified as aetiological factor, there is often no relation between degree of acid exposure and severity of erosive defects. Saliva is assumed to be an important erosion protecting factor, but so far, there is no evidence that parameters like impaired flow rate or low buffering capacity or pH are associated with a higher risk of erosive loss. However, current results from an own pilot study revealed that in patients with eating disorders and chronic vomiting the occurrence of erosive lesions was strongly associated with the activity of specific proteolytic enzymes, highlighting the role of salivary enzymes as modulating factors. Whether this is specifically related to patients with eating disorders or whether this is also true for patients with reflux disease and with dietary acid exposures is unclear. It has also not been investigated whether the protein based composition is changed by the regular acid impact. The aim of this basic research study is therefore to investigate whether proteolytic enzyme activity in saliva is changed by regular erosive challenges and whether the protein composition changes qualitatively or quantitatively. It should be evaluated whether these changes are usable as a general biomarker for erosion risk. Subjects with intrinsic (eating disorders; gastro-oesophageal reflux) and extrinsic (dietary) acid exposures will be included. Target criteria are the quantification of the total protein content in saliva as well as the activity of proteolytic enzymes (general proteolytic activity, collagenase, pepsin, trypsin); in addition the proteome of the saliva should be analysed. Control parameters are flow rate, pH, buffering capacity, as well as enzyme activity of peroxidase, lysozyme and amylase.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants