Abstract
Objectives: The aim of study was to compare salivary and serum concentrations of interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in patients with oral leukoplakia, oral cancer and healthy controls. Study design: Eighty eight patients (28 with oral cancer, 29 leukoplakia, and 31 healthy controls) were included in this study. Cytokine concentrations were measured by commercial enzyme linked immunoassay. Results: Salivary IL-1β and IL-6 were significantly higher in oral cancer patients than in patients with leukoplakia and control group (p<0.05). No differences in concentrations of salivary TNF-α between either of the groups were observed. Serum concentrations of IL-1β were below level of detection in all but two participants. No significant differences between the groups were observed in serum concentrations of IL-6. Serum TNF-α was significantly higher in control subjects than in oral cancer patients. Conclusions: Patients with oral cancer have elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines in their saliva. Whether this elevation can be used for monitoring the malignant transformation of oral leukoplakia remains to be answered by further follow up studies. Key words: Cytokines, oral, leukoplakia, cancer.
Highlights
Oral leukoplakia is defined as “white lesion of oral mucosa which can not be classified clinically or histologically as any other lesion and which is not associated with any physical or chemical causative agent except the use of tobacco”(1)
No significant differences in salivary interleukin 6 (IL-6) concentrations were observed between patients with leukoplakia and control group (Table 2)
Results of this study show that patients with oral cancer have higher salivary IL-1β and IL-6 concentrations compared to patients with leukoplakia and healthy controls
Summary
Oral leukoplakia is defined as “white lesion of oral mucosa which can not be classified clinically or histologically as any other lesion and which is not associated with any physical or chemical causative agent except the use of tobacco”(1). Malignant transformation has been described in cases of leukoplakia without any of the previously mentioned factors [3,4,5]. IL-1β acts as a potent promoter of cancerogenesis by enhancing the action of chemical cancerogens which results in proliferation of mutated cells and further accumulation of genetic damage [6]. IL-6 enhances secretion of transcription factor AP-2, potent cell cycle regulator that activates oncogenes Ras and c erB2 [8]. TNF-α activates positive cell cycle regulator NF-κB which leads to evasion of apoptosis and cell proliferation [10]. The aim of this study was to compare salivary and serum concentrations of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in patients with oral leukoplakia, oral cancer and healthy controls
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