Protein map of spit

Researchers have identified all of the 1000+ proteins in human saliva glands. Determining the identity of the proteins in saliva could lead to convenient new spit-based medical tests that don't require, say, blood to be drawn. From Reuters:

Already there are saliva-based antibody tests to detect human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, and hepatitis infections, (University of Rochester Medical Center researcher Fred Hagan said). He said this protein map will provide new targets.

"Monitoring disease as well as drug use could be more easily done with saliva as opposed to blood or urine," he said.

Other groups are working on a saliva-based test for breast cancer that would detect a protein fragment from the HER2 protein. Hagan said such tests could eventually replace uncomfortable and costly mammograms.

"We envision in the future spitting in a tube and looking for a marker like this breast cancer marker. It would be much easier to do, potentially at home," he said.

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