Salivary glands are exocrine glands that secrete saliva into the oral cavity, and secreted saliva plays essential roles in oral health. Therefore, maintaining the salivary glands in an intact state is required for proper production and secretion of saliva. To investigate a specific signaling pathway that might affect the maintenance of mouse submandibular gland (SMGs), RNA sequencing was performed. In SMGs, downregulated expression patterns of Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) signaling pathway-related genes, including Rhoa, Rhob, Rhoc, Rock1, and Rock2, were observed. Gene expression profiling analyses of these genes indicate that the ROCK signaling pathway is a potential signal for SMG maintenance.

The effects of the an immunosuppressive drug cyclos- porine A (CsA), on the salivary gland are largely unknown, even though clinical trials for the stimulation of salivation using CsA have been attempted. Cyclophilin A (CypA) is known to be a binding protein for CsA. CypA has cell proliferation and tissue matrix change activities. In our present study, the presence of CypA in the gland and effects of CsA on CypA expression were investigated by immu- nohistochemistry, immunoblotting and RT-PCR analyses. CypA was immunohistochemically detected in various kinds of ducts in the submandibular glands of Sprague Dawley rats. The CypA mRNA level was highest at postnatal day 1 and gradually decreased in a time-dependent manner up to adulthood. The expression of CypA increased after a 10 day subcutaneous administration of CsA in postnatal day 1 rats. Surgical sections of the chorda-lingual nerve with impaired salivation showed no changes in CypA expression. A cell proliferation assay using PCNA anti-serum showed inc- reased cell division following CsA treatment. These results suggest that CsA and CypA may act on ductal cells to regulate saliva composition rather than salivation levels.

Taste is a critically important sense for the survival of an organism. However, structure and distribution of taste receptors were only recently investigated. Although expression of the ion channels responsible for the sense of salty taste and acidity was observed in the non-taste cells, receptors for sweet and bitter taste were only identified in taste cells. Salivary glands are involved in the sensing of taste and plays important roles in the transduction of taste. The purpose of this study is to examine whether taste receptors are present in the salivary glands and to provide clues for the investigation of the taste-salivary glands interaction. Using microarray and RT-PCR analyses, the presence of taste receptor mRNAs in the rat von Ebner gland and submandibular gland was confirmed. Type I taste receptors were preferentially expressed in von Ebner gland, whereas type II taste receptors were expressed in both von Ebner gland and submandibular gland. The tastespecific signal tranducing proteins, Gαgustducin and phospholipase C β2, were also detected in both salivary glands by immunohistochemistry. Finally, the activation of the calcium signal in response to bitter taste in the acinar cells was also observed. Taken together, these results suggest that taste receptors are present in the von Ebner gland and submandibular gland and that type II taste receptors are functionally active in both salivary glands.

To deterrnine the effects of insulin-like growth factor system in the aging process of the rat submandibular gland, expression pattems of 19f-1, 19f-2 and 19f-1 receptor were investigated by immunohistochem엽따. 1n addition, age-related changes of 19f-1 and 19f-2 concentrations in serum were deterrnined by radioimmunoassay 19f-1, 19f-2 and 19f-1 receptor were principally expressed 띠 the duct cells. 19f-1 receptors were strongly expre잃ed in 2-week-old group but were gradually decreased with advancing age. 19f-1 expressions were the strongest in the excretory and striated ducts of 7-month-old and 17-month-old groups. 19f-1 expressions, however, were weakiy expressed in the cells of granular convoluted tubules of 7-month잉ld ， 17-month-old and 27-month-old groups. 19f-2 expressions were found in some cells around duαs of 2-week-old group but were persisted relatively weak. The concentrations of 19f-1 and 1향2 in serum were the highest in 2-week-old group but were decreased and maintained at low level with advancing age. These results show that all components of 19f system were expressed in the rat submandibular giand in an age-related manner. Serum concentrations of all components of 19f system were not dosely related with the intra-밍and비ar expresslon patterns 까lerefore ， 1양 systerns may play important roles in the aging process of the rat submandibular gland in an autocrine/paracrine manner