SALIVARY CARBONIC ANHYDRASE VI, ZINC SULFATE TASTE ACUITY AND FREQUENCY OF ILLNESS: A PILOT STUDY

Salivary Carbonic Anhydrase VI (CA6) is a zinc-dependent metalloenzyme which may be important for normal taste function. Though many taste assessment methods exist, the assessment of zinc sulfate tast e acuity is a method that has been suggested to have diverse relationships to human health. A double-bli nded pilot study was conducted among 21 individuals to a nalyze the relationships between salivary CA6 concentrations, zinc sulfate taste acuity and self- reported frequency of illness. ELISA was performed to quantify CA6 concentrations, the Bryce-Smith and Simpson “Zinc Taste Test” (BS-ZTT) protocol and a Taste Intensity Visual Analog Scale (TI-VAS) were utilized to assess zinc sulfate taste acuity and a h ealth history questionnaire was used to determine the fre quency of illness. A statistically significant corr elation existed between CA6 concentration and zinc sulfate taste acuity determined via the BS-ZTT ( rs = 0.62; p = 0.03). A moderate statistically significant negativ e correlation was found between self-reported frequ ency of illness and BS-ZTT scores ( rs = -0.64, p = 0.034). Likewise, a strong statistically signifi cant negative correlation was found between self-reported frequen cy of illness and TI-VAS scores ( rs = -0.81, p = 0.003). The results of this pilot study suggest that zinc s ulfate taste acuity may be reflective of salivary C A6 concentration in addition to being a retrospective indicator of illness frequency.