Measuring nerve growth factor in saliva by immunoassay: A cautionary note

Marla J Matin; Daming Li; Jon Peterson; Marcus K Taylor; Heidemarie K Laurent; Todd Lucas; Steve J Granger; Douglas A Granger; Steve W Granger

doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.09.030

Measuring nerve growth factor in saliva by immunoassay: A cautionary note

Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2016 Jan:63:235-7. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.09.030. Epub 2015 Oct 9.

Authors

Marla J Matin¹, Daming Li¹, Jon Peterson¹, Marcus K Taylor², Heidemarie K Laurent³, Todd Lucas⁴, Steve J Granger¹, Douglas A Granger⁵, Steve W Granger⁶

Affiliations

¹ Research and Technology Center, Salimetrics, Carlsbad, CA 92008, USA.
² Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.
³ Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403, USA; Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.
⁴ Department of Family Medicine and Public Health Services, and Department of Psychology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48201, USA.
⁵ Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA; Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
⁶ Research and Technology Center, Salimetrics, Carlsbad, CA 92008, USA. Electronic address: sgranger@salimetrics.com.

PMID: 26519777
DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.09.030

Abstract

Nerve growth factor (NGF), a neurotrophin, modulates a diverse set of physiologic processes in the nervous, immune, and endocrine systems. Studies suggest that NGF can be measured in saliva (sNGF). Historically, the method for measuring sNGF involves the off-label use of an enzyme immunoassay designed for use with cell-culture supernatants/tissue extracts (Nam et al., 2007; Ruhl et al., 2004). In a series of experiments we reveal this measurement strategy is subject to non-specific interference by constituents present in oral fluids. We conclude that the measurement of sNGF by this assay is not optimal for use with oral fluid specimens.

Keywords: Immunoassay; Interference; Methods; Nerve growth factor; Saliva.

Publication types

Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

Humans
Immunoassay / methods
Immunoassay / standards
Nerve Growth Factor / analysis
Nerve Growth Factor / metabolism*
Predictive Value of Tests
Reagent Kits, Diagnostic / standards
Reproducibility of Results
Saliva / chemistry
Saliva / metabolism*

Substances

NGF protein, human
Reagent Kits, Diagnostic
Nerve Growth Factor