Non- invasive saliva collection in suckling piglets

Abstract

The aim of this study was to develop a method for non- invasive saliva collection in suckling piglets for future research. In addition, this project functioned as a pilot study to investigate associations between group (age) and specific parameters (proteins and proteases) in saliva. The potential composition of saliva and the easy way in which it can be collected, make it an important tool for the diagnosis of several diseases. To reach the aim of this study five groups of suckling piglets of different age had to chew during various times on a Salivette. The protein concentration, protease activity and presence or absence of specific proteins in the saliva samples were determined with help of a protein assay, protease assay and gel electrophoresis respectively. Separate statistical analyses were performed on all data. The results showed that a minimal chewing time of 2 minutes on a Salivette seemed necessary to collect sufficient saliva in suckling piglets from approximately two weeks and older. In younger piglets it was difficult to determine the optimal chewing time as many samples contained no saliva, despite the long chewing time. In addition, saliva parameter investigations showed that the protein concentration was influenced by group (age) as well as saliva quantity, that had to do with chewing time. Protease activity, as presumed measure for periodontitis, was dependent of saliva quantity, protein concentration and a random litter effect. In this study the protease activity was higher in piglets from three and four weeks old than in younger piglets. Finally, the longer the piglets chewed on a Salivette, the higher the probability that the specific proteins with a mass of 110 kDa and 20 kDa were detected in saliva samples.