Proteomics-Based Identification of Salivary Changes in Patients with Burning Mouth Syndrome

Simple Summary Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a chronic oral condition characterized by an intraoral burning sensation, taste alterations, and dry mouth sensations. The disease affects 0.7-15% of the general population, being most common in post-menopausal women. Although BMS is related to anxiety and/or depression and sleep disturbances, its etiology as well as its diagnosis remain unclear. Therefore, the present study aimed to contribute to the knowledge about this syndrome and to look for objective diagnostic tools. Therefore, whole saliva proteomes of patients suffering from BMS were compared to those of healthy persons. The results of this study manifest alterations in salivary proteins related to stress, immune system, and inflammation and, therefore, suggest implication of these pathways in BMS development. Moreover, biomarkers related to stress, immune system, and inflammation, such as salivary amyloid A, immunoglobulins, or leukocyte elastase inhibitors, among others, could contribute to BMC management, although further research is needed to confirm these suppositions. Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a chronic oral condition characterized by an intraoral burning sensation, taste alterations, and dry mouth sensations. Although a number of factors have been closely related to the appearance of the symptoms, including anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbances, the etiology of BMS remains unclear. Furthermore, currently no objective diagnostic tools exist, making its diagnosis challenging. Therefore, to contribute to the knowledge about BMS etiology and look for objective tools for its diagnosis, the present study was conducted. Thus, the aim of this study was to analyze the proteomic profile of the resting whole saliva of patients with BMS and age and sex-matched controls using two-dimensional electrophoresis. The results showed evidence of changes in saliva at the level of proteins related to important pathways such as stress (sAA), immune system (Ig), and inflammation (leukocyte elastase inhibitor). While some of our findings have been previously described others, such as the deregulation of the coiled-coin domain containing protein 25 in BMS, are presented here for the first time to our knowledge. Thus, saliva provides us with relevant information about BMS pathophysiology and could be considered a suitable biofluid for its study and/or diagnosis.

Automated summary

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is a chronic oral condition characterized by an intraoral burning sensation, taste alterations, and dry mouth sensations. Proteomic analysis of saliva from BMS patients reveals alterations in proteins related to stress, immune system, and inflammation, suggesting their involvement in BMS development. Saliva may serve as a valuable biofluid for studying and diagnosing BMS.