Analysis of the FUT2 gene and Secretor status in patients with oral lesions

Abstract

The mechanisms of aberrant expression of blood-group antigens are not clear in all cases. The aim of this work was to investigate Lewis blood type antigens and secretor status using biochemical and molecular biological methods in patients with oral lesions. We studied 148 subjects, half of whom suffered from oral lesions (benign, pre-cancerous and cancerous), while the other half were the healthy control group. We also investigated the Lewis phenotypes of fresh blood samples with a hemagglutination method. We analyzed polymorphisms of the FUT2 gene by ASOPCR (allele specific oligonucleotide– polymerase chain reaction) with specific primers for the G428 allele and the wild type allele of FUT2 gene. The FUT2 gene encodes the γ(1,2) fucosyltransferase (Se enzyme) that regulates expression of ABH antigens in the gastrointestinal tract and secretions. We found a higher intensity of oral disease in the non-secretor group (OR=3.44). Fifty one % of the patients with oral pre-cancerous and cancerous lesions were non-secretors (Le a+ b−), in contrast with the healthy population. We observed a marginal association between secretor status and these lesions.Our study suggests that the lack of wild type FUT2 gene and a nonsecretor status appear to be an associated risk marker for the development of oral cancer in patients with oral lesions.