Quantitative evaluation and correlation of serum glycoconjugates: Protein bound hexoses, sialic acid and fucose in leukoplakia, oral sub mucous fibrosis and oral cancer

Abstract

Background:Cancer is one of the most common causes of mortality and morbidity today, with more than 10 million new cases and more than 6 million deaths each year worldwide. Globally Oral Cancer is the sixth most common cause of cancer related death. India accounts for 86% of the world's oral cancer cases. Often it proceeds by pre cancerous conditions and lesions. In search for biological markers with diagnostic value, we investigated serum glycoconjugates like protein bound hexoses, fucose and sialic acid in these diseases.Materials and Methods:For this Study 27 newly diagnosed Oral leukoplakia, 27 OSMF and 26 Oral Cancer patients, 40 healthy controls who are non tobacco users and 40 healthy controls who are tobacco users were selected. In all these groups we estimated serum glycoconjugates.Results:We observed no difference in serum glycoconjugates levels between tobacco and non tobacco controls (P > 0.05), but very high levels in oral cancer, Leukoplakia and oral sub mucous fibrosis (OSMF) patients (P < 0.001) when compared to control groups. Fucose levels were significant (P < 0.05) of all the glycoconjugates between OSMF and Leukoplakia.Conclusion:The serum glycoconjugates whose levels were very high in OSMF, Leukoplakia and Oral Cancer, do have a significant diagnostic and prognostic value in these diseases.

Efficacy of nanoceria for periodontal tissues alteration in glutamate-induced obese rats—multidisciplinary considerations for personalized dentistry and prevention

“…Fucose is a deoxyhexose that is present in a wide variety of mammals; fucose-containing glycans have important roles in blood transfusion reactions, selectin-mediated leukocyte-endothelial adhesion, host-microbe interactions, and numerous ontogenic events, including signaling events by the Notch receptor family [25]. Fucoproteins and proteoglycans of connective tissue with serum glycoconjugates can be diagnostic and or prognostic marker in oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF), Leukoplakia and Oral Cancer, do have a significant diagnostic and prognostic value in these diseases [26]. Fucosylation of glycoproteins at terminal ends is one of the most important features that mediate several specific biological functions; tumor cells modulate their surface by increasing fucosylation levels to escape recognition, thus contributing to decreased adhesion and uncontrolled tumor growth [27].…”

“…This anatomical complex is vulnerable to infections, chronic inflammation, and periodontal destruction leading to loosening or loss of teeth. Molecular matrix in periodontal connective tissue is a source of number of potential biomarkers [9,[23][24][25][26][27].…”

“…Biomarkers from oral cavity [6,11] might include fucoproteins and proteoglycans of connective tissue with serum glycoconjugates as the specific diagnostic and or prognostic biomarker panels in oral diseases [26] used for the patient stratification with variety of diseases by evaluation of saliva / oral cavity biomarkers to predict therapy responses [38].…”

Significance of Serum L-fucose Glycoprotein as Cancer Biomarker in Head and Neck Malignancies without Distant Metastasis

“…Especially, pre-cancerous conditions like submucus fibrosis and leukoplakia, which usually precede oral cancer and are amenable to treatment [19]. Several cancer biomarkers have been studied extensively to provide non-invasive mode of diagnosis, facilitating early detection of neoplastic or pre-neoplastic conditions.…”

“…As per recommendations of the American Physiological Society and The American Society of Biochemists, glycoproteins are compounds of a protein molecule, with a substance or substances containing a carbohydrate group other than nucleic acid [7]. Glycoproteins constitute vast diversity of molecules expressed on cell membranes in both normal and neoplastic cells [19]. Alterations in cell surface glycoproteins are associated with neoplastic transformation [6,20].…”