Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the presence of TGF-b1, Bcl-2, Caspase-3, Nuclear Matrix Protein (NMP) in stimulated whole saliva (SWS) and to determine if there were any salivary flow rate and apoptotic associated protein (AAP) concentration differences between young and aged subjects.

Methods: The study group consisted of 20 subjects between the ages of 18 and 90. SWS was collected for five minutes using a 1 cm³ cube of paraffin as a stimulant. The samples were aliquoted, then frozen until assayed. AAP concentrations were determined using commercially available ELISA kits. For statistical analysis, the subjects were categorized into two groups. Subjects 50 years and older were classified as elderly while those less than 50 were classified as young. The Mann Whitney U test (unequal variances) was used to compare the two groups for flow rate and cytokine concentrations.

Results: The results of the study showed a mean age of 53.1 years for the aged group while the mean age for the younger cohort was 25.4 years. Bcl-2 and NMP were not detected in SWS by ELISA methodology. There were no significant differences with respect to the other AAP concentrations and SWS between the young and aged cohorts; however, TGF-b1 was correlated to age (r=0.51, p<0.05).

Conclusions: TGF-b1, an apopotosis associated protein, is present in saliva and has exhibited an age-related correlation. This relationship may serve in explaining the normal reduction of acinar cells in salivary gland tissues associated with aging.

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