PR000327 (Project)

Description:This study was designed as a pilot to determine if the concentrations of selected ions in salivary gland secretions were influenced by the absence of CFTR on the apical surfaces of glandular cells and ductal epithelia. To this end, five cystic fibrosis children homozygous for ?Phe508 were to be recruited with their heterozygous non-CF mothers. Unstimulated glandular secretions to include parotid and submandibular/sublingual saliva samples as well as whole, mixed saliva collected with masticatory stimulation were to be collected from the child and the mother and analyzed for nitrate (NO3), nitrite (NO2), bicarbonate (HCO3), thiocyanate (SCN), reduced and oxidized glutathione (GSH and GSSG) and buffering capacity (pH before and after addition of HCl to 3.75mN). For adaptation and development of the assays to a microtiter format, saliva samples were collected from non-CF control subjects initially to optimize the assays recognizing that the volumes for analyses would be small. The values obtained with these non-CF control samples were also compared to that of the homozygous and heterozygous CF subjects. As residual volume permits, these samples will be further analyzed for metabolic constituent profiles.