POTENTIAL BIOMARKERS FOR EARLY DETECTION OF ORAL CANCER: LEPTIN AND ADIPONECTIN

Abstract

Aim: To determine adiponectin and leptin expression levels in samples from healthy, dysplastic and cancerous oral lesions and to investigate the potential role of these biomarkers in oral cancer development. 
 Methods: Tissue samples from the archives which were histologically diagnosed as oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) (n=24), oral dysplasia (n=12) and healthy tissue (n=16) were included. The concentration and purity of samples were determined after total RNA extraction. Thereafter, cDNA synthesis was performed. The differences between expression levels were evaluated with qPCR. Expression levels related to OSCC were performed according to normalizing gene ACTB. 2-ΔΔCT method was used for comparison of expression levels. Student t-test was used to compare the differences in gene expression levels between groups, using 2-ΔΔCT value for each gene. 
 Results: Adiponectin and leptin expression levels were decreased by 1.09 (p = 0.49) and 10.3 (p = 0.22), respectively, in OSCC group, however differences were not statistically significant. The level of adiponectin expression decreased by 1.65 times (p = 0.62) and leptin expression increased by 3 times (p = 0.30) in the dysplasia group. When OSCC and dysplasia groups were compared, it was found that the level of adiponectin expression increased by 1.52 times (p = 0.99) and the level of leptin expression decreased by 30.94 times (p = 0.16) in the OSCC group. The samples were re-grouped as increased risk (OSCC+dysplasia) (n=36) and healthy (n=16) and a decrease by 16.5 (p= 0.3) in leptin expression and an increase by 1.14 (p= 0.6) in adiponectin expression was observed in the increased risk group compared to the healthy group.
 Conclusion: In tissue samples diagnosed as healthy, dysplastic and OSCC, expression levels for leptin and adiponectin have not been compared before. The results revealed a significant decrease in leptin expression and an increase in adiponectin expression in increased risk group.