Denture induced stomatitis (DIS) is a frequent pathological condition which effects the palatal mucosa in about 50% of wearers of complete or partial removable dentures. Mucosal lesions are initiated and maintained by chronic infection of Candida albicans and microbial toxins of denture plaque. Although the lesions have an infectious origin, several local predisposing conditions may be present, which include mucosal trauma from a prosthesis and decreased accessibility of major gland salivary flow under the denture. Definition of salivary or serum components which act to regulate microbial colonization in the mucosal-denture interface is the subject of this study. Since adsorption of a salivary pellicle to an artificial surface influences the microbial attachment and subsequent tissue response, understanding of the selective adsorption of salivary components to an artificial surface will allow development of more biocompatable dental prostheses and restorative materials. This research plan will be divided into two phases with the objective of characterizing the normal or healthy acquired denture pellicle and comparing it with the pellicle found in DIS. Phase I will involve the identification of salivary components of in vivo acquired denture pellicle in healthy patients by Western transfer using monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies against individual salivary components, and their quantitation by immunodot blotting coupled with scanning laser densitometry. The potential role of salivary mucins and secretory IgA in the adherence of Streptococcus and Actinomyces species to a denture surface will be defined by determination of binding affinities of these microorganisms to methymethacrylate beads coated with experimental salivary pellicles. In Phase II, the changes in salivary pellicle constituents associated with DIS will be studied. The quantity and quality of salivary and serum components in denture pellicles will be determined by the immunochemical methods used in Phase I. Identification of the salivary and/or serum components of acquired denture pellicle which promote C. albicans adherence to acrylic surfaces is DIS will be done. This will be accomplished by competitive binding studies between C. albicans and Streptococcal and Actinomyces species to experimental salivary or serum coated acrylic beads. Assay of the local immune response (sIgA) to microorganisms in DIS denture plaque will be accomplished by ELISA.
