Basic fibroblast growth factor in human saliva: detection and physiological implications

After the detection of epidermal growth factor and transforming growth factor alpha in various body fluids and human saliva the current study aimed to investigate the presence of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) in human saliva. Basic FGF is stimulating the proliferation of cells of mesodermal and neuroectodermal origin and is highly angiogenetic. After ELISA technique was established, saliva was collected from eight healthy individuals. Run in duplicate, 14 (87.5%) of the 16 samples investigated contained measurable amounts of bFGF. In the samples containing bFGF the concentration varied between 0.1 pg/mL and 8.4 pg/mL (mean concentration, 3.8 pg/mL; SD, 3.5). There was no correlation between age and sex and bFGF concentrations. It is therefore concluded that bFGF is present in human saliva and may even constitute a constant component. The physiological importance of this finding is discussed.