Autonomic Neuroscience Unit - Oral Physiology and Pharmacology
Jörgen Ekström, Hülya Çevik Aras, Nina Khosravani, Ann-Christine Reinhold, and Shariel Sayardoust
Professor in Pharmacology
International Association of Dental Research's
"Distinguished Scientist Award for Salivary Research" in 2004
Formerly,
Professor in Oral Biology,
Senior Lecturer in Physiology and
Senior Research Fellow of the Swedish Medical Research Council
in the field of "Autonomic Nervous System Biology"
The research focuses on the physiology and pharmacology of autonomic neuro-effector systems. Over the years a number of tissues have served as model organs in our studies such as the heart, the urinary bladder, the urethra, the pancreatic gland and, in particular, salivary glands.
Presently, interest is focused on the various transmitter mechanisms involved in the short-term (secretion and blood flow) as well as in the long-term regulation (mitosis, growth promoting factors, protein synthesis and receptor sensitivity) of salivary glands, and further on the composition of the saliva and the various functions of the saliva.
Particular attention is being paid to the action of a number of non-conventional transmitters such as neuropeptides and nitric oxide and their interactions with the classical transmitters as well as to the plasticity of the various mechanisms.
Furthermore, synergistic actions between the autonomic nervous system and gastro-intestinal hormones are being studied. In addition, the possibility of efferent functions of sensory nerves in the glands is also being tested. The minor salivary glands, located just beneath the oral epithelium, are of major importance for the protection of the oral mucosa, and the innervation and secretion of these glands are being investigated. In this connection a patented mode of stimulation, and avoiding adverse effects, for the treatment of mouth dryness was developed in collaboration with a pharmaceutical company.
Both in vivo and in vitro physiological/pharmacological techniques are used as well as molecular biology techniques and further, assessments using immunochemistry, histology and morphometry are performed.
In line with the oral physiology/pharmacology directed interest of the group, human studies are carried out in collaboration with The Dental School in Göteborg. In "The Interlink" project studies on salivary secretion are carried out in collaboration with The Catholic University of Rome, The University of Cagliari and The National Institute for Natural Sciences, Okasaka.
Selected papers and reviews
KHOSRAVANI N, SANDBERG M, EKSTRÖM J. The otic ganglion in rats and its parotid connection: cholinergic pathways, reflex secretion and a secretory role for the facial nerve. Exp Physiol. 2006; 91: 239-47.
DARNELL M, ÇEVIK ARAS H, MAGNUSSON B, EKSTRÖM J. Lipopolysaccharide induced-in vivo increases in beta-defensins of the rat parotid gland. Arch Oral Biol. 2006; 51: 769-74.
ÇEVIK ARAS H, EKSTRÖM J. Pentagastrin-induced protein synthesis in the parotid gland of the anaesthetized rat, and its dependence on CCK-A and –B receptors and nitric oxide generation. Exp Physiol 2006; 91: 673-679.
ÇEVIK ARAS H, EKSTRÖM J. Cholecystokinin- and gastrin-induced protein and amylase secretion from the parotid gland of the anaesthetized rat. Regul Pept. 2006; 134: 89-96.
SAYARDOUST S, EKSTRÖM J. Nitric oxide-dependent protein synthesis in parotid and submandibular glands of anaesthetized rats upon sympathetic stimulation or isoprenaline administration. Exp Physiol 2004; 89: 219-227
REINHOLD A-C, EKSTRÖM J. Expressions of CCAAT-enhancer-binding proteins and c-Myc in the parotid gland of the rat: in vivo effects of isoprenaline, bethanechol, vasoactive intestinal peptide and food intake. Arch Oral Biol 2004; 49: 345-354.
EKSTRÖM J, REINHOLD A-C. Increases in nerve growth factor immunoreactivity in the submandibular gland, but not in the parotid gland, of the rat following sympathetic denervation. Arch Oral Biol 2004; 49: 3-9.
SAYARDOUST S, EKSTRÖM J. Nitric oxide-dependent in vitro secretion of amylase from innervated or chronically denervated parotid glands of the rat in response to isoprenaline and vasoactive intestinal peptide. Exp Physiol 2003; 88: 371-378.
EKSTRÖM J, HELANDER H F. 2002. Secretion from submucosal salivary glands of the ferret in response to a cholinesterase inhibitor applied onto the oral mucosa. Eur J Oral Sci 2002; 110: 230-236.
HEDNER E, BIRKHED D, HEDNER J, EKSTRÖM J, HELANDER H F. Stimulation of minor salivary glands by intraoral treatment with the cholinesterase inhibitor physostigmine in man. Eur J Oral Sci 2001; 109: 371-374.
EKSTRÖM J. Gustatory-salivary reflexes induce non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic acinar degranulation in the rat parotid gland. Exp Physiol 2001; 86: 475-480.
EKSTRÖM J. Salivationens reglering. Tandläkartidningen 2000; 92 (13): 36-43.
EKSTRÖM J, ENGDAHL HAVEL G, REINHOLD A.-C. Parasympathetic non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic induced protein synthesis and mitogenic activity in rat salivary glands. Exp Physiol 2000; 85: 171-176.
EKSTRÖM J. Role of nonadrenergic, noncholinergic autonomic transmitters in salivary glandular activities in vivo. In: Garrett JR, Ekström J, Anderson LC, editors. Frontiers of oral biology, vol 11. Neural Mechanisms of Salivary Gland Secretion. Basel: Karger; 1999. p. 94-130.
EKSTRÖM J. Degeneration secretion and supersensitivity in salivary glands following denervations, and the effects on choline acetyltransferase activity In: Garrett JR, Ekström J, Anderson LC, editors. Frontiers of oral biology, vol 11. Neural Mechanisms of Salivary Gland Secretion. Basel: Karger; 1999. p. 166-184.
ASZTÉLY A, HAVEL G, EKSTRÖM J. Vascular protein leakage in the rat parotid gland elicited by reflex stimulation, parasympathetic nerve stimulation and administration of neuropeptides. Regul Pept 1998; 77: 113-120.
MIRFENDERESKI S, TOBIN G, HÅKANSON R, EKSTRÖM J. Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating peptide (PACAP) in salivary glands of the rat: origin, and secretory and vascular effects. Acta Physiol Scand 1997; 160: 15-22.