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Volume1 Issue7
I
ssues and
P
eople
1-dayworkshop
Inearly 2015,Dr.Siqueira
willholda liveworkshop to
discuss theprojectandhow
dentistscanget involved.
Theworkshopwillcover
everything frompatient
consent tosamplecollection
andshipping, anddatabase
updates.
Following theevent, the
workshopwillbeavailableon
theNetwork forCanadian
OralHealthResearch
website,divided intomodules.
Visit:
Help
advance
salivaresearch
Dr.Siqueira ishopingtocreate
abankof15,000to20,000saliva
donors—healthyanddiseased,young
andold—whowillbemonitored
onayearlybasis.
Dentistswhowanttoparticipatewill
beaskedtocollect2mLofsaliva from
patientseveryyearandupdatetheir
medicalanddentalhistory inashared
database.Whenadonordevelopsa
disease, their“healthy”and“diseased”
salivawillbecomparedtodetermine
thechanges. ContactDr.Siqueriaat:
Twobiomarkershavealsobeen identified for renal disease. This could
lead topatients collecting saliva samples and,witha test strip, verifying
whether theyneeddialysis immediatelyor if it canwait. Thiswould
greatly improve their qualityof lifeand save thehealthcare system
money.
CDA:
Could salivahelppreventdisease?
WS:
Yes, and this is anexcitingnewarea for dentistry!My laboratory is
workingonpredictinghow salivaryproteinswill evolveover time, and
onmaking that evolutionhappen today.Wemodify keyaminoacids in
proteins andcombineproteinsbasedongenes andproteins tocreate
super proteins that are resistant to—andcan kill—bacteria, and that
canattach to theenamel surface stronglyandprevent toothdecay,
periodontal diseaseanddental erosion.
We’recreating “intelligentproteins”—proteins that areonlyactivewhen
required. Basically,we incorporateon/offcomponents in these super
proteins. For example,when
S.mutants
or a lactobacillus startsproducing
acid, theproteinwill get activatedand start killing thebacteria. The
proteinwill remain inactivewhen there isnoproductionof acid.
CDA:
Howclosearewe tousing saliva for therapeuticpurposes?
WS:
It’shard to say, but I thinkwemight be4or 5years away from
havingour first product in themarket.
We’recurrentlyexploringeasyand inexpensiveways todeliver super
proteins.Mouth rinses areanoption, just likegels and toothpastes. It
couldalsobe interesting tooffer them in the formof lollipopsor candy.
CDA:
Is therepotential harmassociatedwith superproteins?
WS:
Not at all—we’reonlymodifyingproteins that alreadyexist in
saliva. Tobeauthorized todohuman testing,wehad toprove that
super proteins arenot able tocausedamage to theoralmucosaor any
cells in theoral cavity.
CDA:
Whatwill human testingconsistof?
WS:
We’replanning to start human testing in2015–16.We’ll conduct
two studies. Inonewe’llmimic theenvironment for toothdecayusing
anorthodonticapparatuswithenamel, towhichwe’ll addboth sugar
and super proteins. In theother, individualswitha significant incidence
of toothdecaywill receive super proteins as apreventivemeasure.
CDA:
Doyouworkonconditionsother than toothdecay?
WS:
Absolutely!We’re in theearly stagesof creatinga super protein
toprevent the formationof dental calculus.With regard toperiodontal
disease,we’reworkingonaprotein toadddirectly in thegingival sulcus
after scalingandplanning, tohelpwithhealingand to keep thepocket
clean.
a
This interviewhasbeencondensedandedited.
TheviewsexpressedarethoseoftheauthorsanddonotnecessarilyreflecttheopinionsorofficialpoliciesoftheCanadianDental
Association.
