Submandibular gland autotransplantation is effective for treating severe dry eye syndrome. However, more than 40% of patients show epiphora within 3 to 6 months after treatment. The mechanism underlying the hypersecretion in epiphora remains to be elucidated for developing novel interventions. Since salivary gland secretion is dependent on a variety of proteins, we analyzed the changes in protein expression in transplanted glands of epiphora patients with 2-D gel electrophoresis and electrospray ionization quadrupole/time-of-flight mass spectrometry and evaluated their possible roles in epiphora. There were 23 proteins showed altered expression in the glands of epiphora patients, 15 being up-expressed and 8 down-expressed. The expression of secretory proteins was decreased in these glands, including alpha-amylase, cystatin S, SA, and SN. In contrast, cytoskeletal proteins were all upregulated, including actin and vimentin. Immunofluorescence revealed the intensity ratio of F-actin in apical and lateral cytoplasm to total F-actin in acini was decreased in the glands of epiphora patients. Carbachol stimulation induced a similar redistribution of F-actin in the control glands. Phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) was increased in both carbachol-stimulated and epiphora glands. Preincubation of submandibular glands with ERK1/2 inhibitors PD98059 or U0126 inhibited carbachol-induced F-actin redistribution. These results indicated that differentially expressed proteins participated in hypersecretion of transplanted submandibular glands, and the redistribution of F-actin might be involved in this hypersecretion in an ERK1/2-dependent manner
J Proteome Res. 2011 Mar 8. [Epub ahead of print]
Ding C, Zhang Y, Peng X, Wang Y, Zhang L, Cong X, Ding QW, Xiang RL, Wu LL, Yu GY.
2 comments:
Anybody translate into layman's terms?
Simply said, for a number of years people have experimented with a surgical technique transplanting tissue from a gland beneath the jawbone that normally makes saliva to an area in the temple and connecting the duct that drains that gland to inside the upper lid. This has been done only in patients with severe dry eye at risk for permanent corneal damage or blindness. This paper from China characterizes the changes in the protein and fluid content of the saliva (now 'tears') that occurs in the significant percentage of these patients who experience the opposite of dry eye following the transplant (i.e. excess tearing, running down the cheeks, etc.). It is a sophisticated basic science paper that in no way treats anything but is interesting. Extra tears may seem attractive, but this too is problematic.
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