Salivary mucins in host defense and disease prevention

摘要

Mucusformsaprotectivecoatingonwetepithelialsurfacesthroughoutthebodythathousesthemicrobiotaandplaysakeyroleinhostdefense.Mucins,theprimarystructuralcomponentsofmucusthatcreatesitsviscoelasticproperties,arecriticalcomponentsofthegellayerthatprotectagainstinvadingpathogens.Alteredmucinproductionhasbeenimplicatedindiseasessuchasulcerativecolitis,asthma,andcysticfibrosis,whichhighlightstheimportanceofmucinsinmaintaininghomeostasis.Differenttypesofmucinsexistthroughoutthebodyinvariouslocationssuchasthegastrointestinaltract,lungs,andfemalegenitaltract,butthisreviewwillfocusonmucinsintheoralcavity.Salivarymucinstructure,localizationwithintheoralcavity,anddefensemechanismswillbediscussed.TheseconceptswillthenbeappliedtopresentwhatisknownabouttheprotectivefunctionofmucinsinoraldiseasessuchasHIV/AIDS,oralcandidiasis,anddentalcaries.Keywords:saliva;mucin;oralhealth;MUC5B;MUC7(Published:22December2015)Citation:JournalofOralMicrobiology2015,7:29759-http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/jom.v7.29759