The Association of Salivary Flow Rate and Sleep Quality among Head and Neck Cancer Survivors after Radiotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Head and neck cancer survivors suffer from xerostomia and sleep disturbances after radiotherapy, both of which affect their quality of life. This study aimed to explore the role of salivary flow in the oral health and sleep quality of head and neck cancer survivors. METHODS: We recruited 120 head and neck cancer survivors who were experiencing symptoms of dry mouth or sleep disturbances post-radiotherapy from a dental clinic. We gathered their socio-demographic and clinical data, measured their salivary flow rate, and recorded their dry mouth score using the summated xerostomia inventory. Additionally, a dentist collected the DMFT (Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth) index. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was employed to assess their sleep quality. RESULTS: In this study, xerostomia was observed in nearly 80% of the cancer survivors. The concurrent prevalence of sleep disturbance and xerostomia was at 55%. After five years post-radiotherapy, there was a significant improvement observed in both the quality of sleep (p = 0.03) and the stimulated salivary flow rate (p = 0.04). Additionally, these improvements were noted to have commenced from the third year onwards. A significant association was found between stimulated salivary flow and dry mouth scores with poor sleep quality (p <  0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We recommend that dental professionals prioritize managing both dental and mental health issues equally for head and neck cancer survivors who have undergone radiotherapy within the past 3 years.

Carbonized Polymer Dots with Controllable N, O Functional Groups as Electrolyte Additives to Achieve Stable Li Metal Batteries.

Electrolyte additive is an effective strategy to inhibit the uncontrolled growth of Li dendrites for lithium metal batteries (LMBs). However, most of the additives are complex synthesis and prone to decompose in cycling. Herein, in order to guide the homogeneous deposition of Li+ , carbonized polymer dots (CPDs) as electrolyte additives are successfully designed and synthesized by microwave (M-CPDs) and hydrothermal (H-CPDs) approaches. The controllable functional groups containing N or O (especially pyridinic-N, pyrrolic-N, and carboxyl group) enable CPDs to keep stable in electrolytes for at least 3 months. Meanwhile, the clusters formed between CPDs and Li+ through electrostatic interaction effectively guide the uniform Li dispersion and limit the "tip effect" and dendrite formation. Moreover, as lithiophilic groups increase, the strong electrostatic interference for the solvation effect of Li+ in the electrolyte is formed, which induces faster Li+ diffusion/transfer. As expected, H-CPDs achieve the ultra-even Li+ transfer. The corresponding Li//LiFePO4 full cell delivers a high capacity retention rate of 93.8% after 200 cycles, which is much higher than that of the cells without additives (61.2%) and with M-CPDs (83.7%) as additives. The strategy in this work provides a theoretical direction for CPDs as electrolyte additives used in energy storage devices.

Retrospective analysis of primary intraosseous malignancies in mandible and maxilla in a population of Taiwanese patients.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Due to the rarity and diversity of primary intraosseous malignancies in jawbones, we aimed to evaluate the clinicopathological features and discuss the findings of our collected cases with the literatures. METHODS: Twenty-nine patients (2000-2020) diagnosed with primary central malignancies of jawbones were selected from the database of Oral Pathology Department in our institution. Clinical features, radiographic appearance, and histopathological diagnosis of the 29 cases were analyzed. RESULTS: Twenty-nine patients aged between 19 and 84 years (average, 57.4 years) with a male to female ratio of 1.2:1 were included. The most frequent site was the mandibular body and ramus, followed by the posterior maxilla and mandibular symphysis. The most common diagnosis was osteogenic sarcoma (n = 13), followed by odontogenic carcinoma (n = 7), hematologic malignancies (n = 5), salivary gland malignancies (n = 2), and neurogenic sarcomas (n = 2). The most frequent symptoms were swelling, pain, paresthesia of lower lip, and mobile tooth. Radiographically, they usually presented as ill-defined osteolytic to osteoblastic lesions depending on the amount of ossification. Wide excision comprising partial maxillectomy and segmental mandibulectomy were the most common therapeutic methods. CONCLUSION: Despite the rarity of primary central malignancies in jawbones, the clinical features may mimic infectious process or benign lesions. Detailed history-taking, clinical and imaging examination and awareness of the patient's signs and symptoms combining with the histopathological inspection are important for early diagnosis and improved prognosis. The current data contributes a useful basis for clinical investigation regarding intraosseous malignancies occurring in the jawbones.

Clinical manifestations of oral lymphomas - Retrospective study of 15 cases in a Taiwanese population and a review of 592 cases from the literature.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Due to the rarity of oral lymphoma (OL), we aimed to evaluate the clinical features of OL and discuss these findings in light of the literature. METHODS: English language literature (1980-2019) related to OL was searched in two electronic databases. Patients (2000-2019) diagnosed with OL were also selected from the database of the Oral Pathology Department in our institution. The clinical features, radiographic appearance, and histopathological diagnosis in these selected cases from publications and our institution were then analyzed. RESULTS: 607 cases of OL (15 in our institution and 592 from literature) in patients aged between 0 and 92 years (average, 51.8 years) with a male to female ratio of 1.6:1 were included. The most common diagnosis was diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (n = 205), followed by Burkitt lymphoma (n = 72) and T-cell lymphoma (n = 37). The most frequent site was the gingiva, followed by palate, maxilla, mandible, tongue and buccal mucosa. The most frequent symptoms were swelling, ulceration, paresthesia, mobile tooth and pain. Radiographic findings included ill-defined osteolytic lesion, thickening of the periodontal ligament, loss of lamina dura and tooth displacement. CONCLUSION: Despite the rarity of extranodal lymphomas in oral cavity, their occurrence may be part of disseminated disease. Detailed history-taking, clinical and imaging examination and awareness of the patient's signs and symptoms are important for early diagnosis and an improved prognosis. The current data form a useful basis for clinical investigation and teaching regarding lymphoma occurring in the oral cavity.

Protective Effects of Tyrosol against LPS-Induced Acute Lung Injury via Inhibiting NF-κB and AP-1 Activation and Activating the HO-1/Nrf2 Pathways.

Tyrosol (Tyr) is a natural antioxidant that displays anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The present study aimed to investigate the effect and mechanism of Tyr on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI). In a mouse model, we found that pretreatment with Tyr significantly improved survival rate, attenuated lung permeability, ameliorated histopathological alterations, reduced expression of the inflammatory mediators and improved expression of the antioxidant enzyme. Further study revealed that Tyr markedly inhibited nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and activator protein-1 (AP-1) activation at both in vivo and in vitro levels. To investigate the underlying mechanism, we examined the impact of Tyr on the heme oxygenase (HO)-1/nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway in vivo and in vitro. The results showed that Tyr significantly improved the expression of HO-1 and the activation of Nrf2. This study offers novel evidence to support the efficacy of Tyr against ALI, which helps to clarify the underlying causes of the therapeutic effects behind Tyr.

Retrospective analysis of nonendodontic periapical lesions misdiagnosed as endodontic apical periodontitis lesions in a population of Taiwanese patients.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to evaluate nonendodontic periapical lesions clinically misdiagnosed as endodontic periapical pathoses in a population of Taiwanese patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cases (2000-2014) of histopathological diagnoses of nonendodontic periapical lesions were retrieved from all cases with a clinical diagnosis of radicular cyst, apical granuloma, or apical periodontitis in the institution. These cases were regarded as misdiagnosed nonendodontic periapical lesions, of which the types and frequencies, in addition to the demographic data, were determined. RESULTS: Four thousand and four specimens were clinically diagnosed as endodontically associated pathoses, of which 118 cases (2.95%) received a histopathological diagnosis of a nonendodontic pathologic entity, the most frequent lesion being keratocystic odontogenic tumor (KCOT, n = 38, 32.20%), followed by fibro-osseous lesion (n = 18, 15.25%), and dentigerous cyst (n = 13, 11.02%). Nine malignant lesions in the periapical area [squamous cell carcinoma (n = 7, 5.93%), adenoid cystic carcinoma (n = 1, 0.85%), and Langerhans cell histiocytosis (n = 1, 0.85%)] were also noted. CONCLUSIONS: A wide variety of histopathological diagnoses, including benign odontogenic and non-odontogenic cystic and tumorous lesions and infectious diseases, as well as malignant lesions, was noted in these 118 cases of nonendodontic periapical lesions. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most predominant malignancy of nonendodontic periapical lesions misdiagnosed as apical periodontitis lesions from imaging examination overlooking the clinical findings. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The current data form a useful basis for clinicopathological investigation and educational teaching regarding nonendodontic periapical lesions misdiagnosed as endodontic apical periodontitis lesions.

Repression of a chromatin modifier aggravates lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury in mouse.

Local inflammatory responses and alveolar epithelial cells (AECs) apoptosis are both important for the development of the acute lung injury (ALI), a clinically important complication causing high morbidity and mortality, but little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis. Herein, we showed for the first time that expression of Metastasis-associated protein 1 (MTA1), a master transcriptional regulator with the ability to regulate divergent cellular pathways by modifying the acetylation status of crucial target genes, was up-regulated in the alveolar cells of the Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced murine ALI model. Inhibition of MTA1 expression by in vivo siRNA treatment exacerbated the pathology of LPS-induced ALI, by selectively promoting the expression of NF-κB-regulated inflammatory cytokines. Moreover, ablation of MTA1 expression promoted the LPS-induced apoptosis in AEC II cells, leaving AEC I cells unaffected. These data collectively underscore an alveolar facet of this important chromatin modifier, which may represent as a novel regulator and a new therapeutic target for the treatment of ALI.

Melatonin attenuates intestinal ischemia--reperfusion-induced lung injury in rats by upregulating N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2.

BACKGROUND: Successful drug treatment for ischemia--reperfusion-induced lung injury remains a major clinical problem. Melatonin (MT) is a hormone that is principally synthesized in the pineal gland. It has been shown to exhibit a variety of functions including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Previous reports on N-myc downstream-regulated gene (NDRG)2 have suggested that it is involved in cellular differentiation, development, antiapoptosis, anti-inflammatory cytokine, and antioxidant. The objective of this study was to test whether MT, a novel NDRG2 activator, can protect against intestinal ischemia-reperfusion-induced lung injury (IIRI). MATERIALS AND METHODS: IIRI was induced in rats by occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery for 60 min, and the occlusion was then released for reperfusion. Rats were randomly divided into six groups as follows: control group; MT group; IIRI group; IIRI+5 mg/kg MT group; IIRI+15 mg/kg MT group; and IIRI+25 mg/kg MT group. The effects of MT on intestinal ischemia-reperfusion-induced lung pathologic changes, inflammatory cytokines release, myeloperoxidase and superoxide dismutase activities, and malondialdehyde level were examined. In addition, the NDRG2 activation in lung tissues was detected by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: MT pretreatment attenuated edema and the pathologic changes in the lung. MT also decreased the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1ß, and interleukin-8 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. In addition, MT markedly prevented IIRI-induced elevation of malondialdehyde and myeloperoxidase levels, as well as reduction of superoxide dismutase activity. Furthermore, the expression of NDRG2 was activated by MT pretreatment in lung tissues. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrates that MT exerted protection against IIRI-induced oxidative stress. The potential mechanism of this action may attribute partly to the activation of NDRG2 expression.

Retrospective study of oral and maxillofacial lesions in older Taiwanese patients.

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to provide information regarding oral and maxillofacial (OMF) lesions in an older Taiwanese population. BACKGROUND: The rate of increase of older people in Taiwan is expected to be rapid. OMF lesions are very frequent in the older population, but no studies have been performed on these lesions in Taiwan. MATERIALS AND METHODS: OMF cases (between 2000 and 2011) in geriatric patients (≥60 years of age) with records of age, sex and histological diagnoses were retrieved from the Oral Pathology Department of our institution. These lesions were classified into four main categories: tumour/tumour-like reactive lesions, cystic/pseudocystic lesions, inflammatory/infective lesions and other miscellaneous lesions. RESULTS: Six thousand seven hundred and twenty-six lesions were collected from a total of 39 503 OMF lesions in older Taiwanese patients in this study. Most of these lesions were distributed in the inflammatory/infective group, followed by tumour/tumour-like reactive lesions. Squamous cell carcinoma was the most common lesion, and, additionally, there was a high frequency of oral potentially malignant disorders. CONCLUSIONS: The present study showed trends similar to previous reports from other countries. However, some detailed information was different, perhaps due to the different criteria and different geographic distribution. Worthy of note, our results indicated that screening for oral potentially malignant disorder and oral malignancy in the older population is essential.

Impact of removable dentures on oral health-related quality of life among elderly adults in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: Although the use of removable dentures can improve oral function and esthetics for elderly people, compared to those who do not wear removable dentures, those wearing removable dentures could have worse oral health related-quality of life (OHRQoL). Additional information is required to assess which factors related to denture wearing influence the OHRQoL of elderly individuals. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the association between denture wearing and OHRQoL in a sample of elderly individuals in Taiwan. METHODS: The study population included 277 elderly people wearing removable dentures (mean age = 76.0 years). Using face-to-face interviews, we collected data on the participants' socio-demographic characteristics, dental care service usage (regular dental checkups, treatment during toothache, dental visits in the last year), and factors related to denture wearing (perceived oral pain, perceived loose denture, perceived oral ulcer, perceived halitosis, perceived dry mouth, and perceived total denture satisfaction scores). OHRQoL was measured using the Taiwanese version of the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI-T). The location and number of remaining natural teeth and the type of denture were also recorded. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed using GOHAI-T scores as the dependent variable. RESULTS: All the predictors together accounted for 50% of the variance in GOHAI-T scores. Further, education level, number of natural teeth, denture status, perceived loose denture, perceived oral ulcer, and perceived total denture satisfaction scores had statistically significant influences on OHRQoL. When compared with other variables, factors related to denture wearing, especially perceived total denture satisfaction scores, had the greatest impact on GOHAI-T scores. CONCLUSIONS: Of the factors analyzed in this study, denture satisfaction was the strongest predictor of OHRQoL. This suggests that denture satisfaction is useful for assessing the effect of denture treatment on the OHRQoL of elderly individuals wearing removable dentures.

Malignant transformation in 5071 southern Taiwanese patients with potentially malignant oral mucosal disorders.

BACKGROUND: Oral cancers can be preceded by clinically evident oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs). The current study evaluated the rate and the time of malignant transformation in the various OPMDs in a cohort of patients from southern Taiwan. Parameters possibly indicative for malignant transformation of OPMDs, such as epidemiological and etiological factors, and clinical and histopathological features were also described. METHODS: We followed-up 5071 patients with OPMDs-epithelial dysplasia with oral submucous fibrosis, epithelial dysplasia with hyperkeratosis/epithelial hyperplasia, hyperkeratosis/epithelial hyperplasia, oral submucous fibrosis, lichen planus, and verrucous hyperplasia-between 2001 and 2010 for malignant transformation. RESULTS: Two hundred nineteen of these 5071 OPMD patients (202 men, 17 women; mean age: 51.25 years; range: 30-81 years) developed oral cancers (179 squamous cell carcinomas; 40 verrucous carcinomas) in the same sites as the initial lesions at least 6 months after their initial biopsies. The overall transformation rate was 4.32% (mean duration of transformation: 33.56 months; range: 6-67 months). Additionally, the mean time of malignant transformation was significantly shorter for lesions with than without epithelial dysplasia. The risk of malignant transformation was 1.89 times higher for epithelially dysplastic than non-dysplastic lesions. The anatomical site of OPMD and the presence of epithelial dysplasia were significantly associated with malignant transformation. The hazard rate ratio was 1.87 times larger for tongue lesions than for buccal lesions. CONCLUSION: Patients with OPMDs require long-term follow up.

Modern therapy for severe alveolar ridge atrophy.

This clinical report illustrates a modern method for oral rehabilitation of severe edentulous atrophic ridge. Shallow vestibule and small denture-bearing area of the maxilla provide insufficient retention, and only the symphyseal region of the mandible has obvious alveolar ridge. The surgery of deepening vestibule of the maxilla ridge was done by using tentative miniscrew combined with old denture and soft liner. The osseointegrated dental implants were installed over symphyseal region of the mandible to act as retentive devices for prostheses. In addition, functional reline with rebase material to build buccal-tongue contact over the retromolar area after denture delivery obtained high satisfaction from the patient. Many clinical conditions cannot be managed solely with implants or preprosthetic surgery alone, whereas a combination of the 2 can achieve successful outcome.

Overexpression of transient receptor potential melastatin 6 during human oral squamous cell carcinogenesis.

Background/purpose: Transient receptor potential melastatin (TRPM) channel is involved in cell proliferation and cell survival. Eight members (TRPM1-8) are within the TRPM subfamily. The current study is aimed to investigate TRPM6 expression in human oral carcinogenesis. Materials and methods: Sixty-six oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs), 47 oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD) with moderate-severe epithelial dysplasia (ED), 28 OPMD with mild ED, and 33 normal oral mucosa (NOM) samples were subjected to immunohistochemical staining. Two human oral cancer cell lines (OCCLs), an oral premalignant cell line (DOK), and a normal oral keratinocyte culture (HOK) were used for Western blot analysis. OCCLs were evaluated for proliferation, migration, invasion assays, and intracellular calcium concentration. Results: TRPM6 protein expression in OSCC was significantly increased as compared with normal samples. Protein expression of TRPM6 in OCCLs was significantly higher as compared with HOK. Significant decreases in degrees of proliferation, migration, invasion, and intracellular calcium concentration were noted in OCCLs with TRPM6 siRNA transfection as compared with those without transfection. Significantly increased TRPM6 protein level was noted in OPMD with moderate-severe ED as compared with those with mild ED. Conclusion: Our results implicate that TRPM6 overexpression is potentially related to human oral carcinogenesis.

Sprouty 4 expression in human oral squamous cell carcinogenesis.

Background/purpose: Reviewing literature, sprouty 4 (SPRY4) has not been studied in human oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs). The study aimed to examine SPRY4 expression in human oral squamous cell carcinogenesis. Materials and methods: A total of 95 OSCCs, 10 OPMDs with malignant transformation (MT), 17 OPMDs without MT, and six normal oral mucosa (NOM) samples were recruited for immunohistochemical staining; three OSCC tissues with normal tissue counterpart NOM were employed for Western blotting. Three human oral cancer cell lines (OCCLs), an oral precancer cell line (dysplastic oral keratinocyte, DOK), and a primary culture of normal oral keratinocytes (HOK) were used for Western blotting; OCCLs and HOK were employed for real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. OCCLs were evaluated in terms of proliferation, migration, and invasion assays. Results: SPRY4 protein expression was significantly increased in OSCCs compared with NOM. Protein and mRNA SPRY4 expression in OCCLs were significantly elevated compared with HOK. Significant increases in the degrees of proliferation, migration, and invasion were noted in OCCLs with SPRY4 siRNA transfection compared with those without transfection. SPRY4 protein level was increased in OPMD with MT compared to OPMD without MT. SPRY4 protein was significant increase in DOK in comparison with HOK. SPRY4 protein expression was significantly increased from NOM and OPMD without MT to OSCC. SPRY4 protein expression in OCCLs was significantly enhanced compared with DOK and HOK respectively. Conclusion: Our results indicate that SPRY4 expression is possibly involved in human oral squamous cell carcinogenesis.

Manipulation of the LiZn Alloy Process toward High-Efficiency Lithium Metal Anodes.

Synthesis of alloy-type materials (X) is one of the most effective approaches to limit lithium dendrites in Li metal anode (LMA) because of their satisfactory lithiophilicity and easy electrochemical reaction with lithium. However, current investigations have only focused on the influence of the resulting alloyed products (LiX) on the properties of LMA, but the alloying reaction process between Li+ and X has been mostly ignored. Herein, by masterly taking advantage of the alloying reaction process, a novel approach is developed to more effectively inhibit lithium dendrites than the conventional strategy that just considers the utilization of alloyed products LiX. A three-dimensional substrate material loaded with metallic Zn on the surface of Cu foam is synthesized by a simple electrodeposition process. During Li plating/stripping, both alloy reaction processes between Li+ and Zn and LiZn product are involved, which makes the disordered Li+ flux near the substrate first react with Zn metal and then results in an even Li+ concentration for more uniform Li nucleation and growth. The full cell (Li-Cu@Zn-15//LFP) exhibits the reversible capacity of 122.5 mAh g-1, and a high capacity retention of 95% is achieved after 180 cycles. This work proposes a valuable concept for the development of alloy-type materials in energy storage devices.

Expression of Orai1 and STIM1 in human oral squamous cell carcinogenesis.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Return of Ca2+ to endoplasmic reticulum is mediated by Orai/STIM-mediated store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE) channel. We aimed to investigate Orai1 and STIM1 expressions in human oral carcinogenesis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixty-six oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs), 14 oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD) with moderate-severe oral epithelial dysplasia (OED), 19 OPMD with mild OED, and 14 normal oral mucosa (NOM) samples were subjected to immunohistochemical staining. Two human oral cancer cell lines (OCCLs), an oral premalignant cell line (DOK), and a normal oral keratinocyte culture (HOK) were used for Western blot and real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. OCCLs were evaluated for proliferation, migration, and invasion assays. RESULTS: Orai1 and STIM1 protein and mRNA expressions in OSCC were significantly enhanced as compared with normal samples. Protein expressions of Orai1 and STIM1 in OCCLs were significantly enhanced as compared with HOK. Significant decreases in degrees of proliferation, migration and invasion were noted in OCCLs with Orai1 and STIM1 siRNA transfection as compared with those without transfection. Significantly increased Orai1 and STIM1 protein levels were noted in OPMD with moderate-severe OED as compared with those with mild OED. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that Orai1 and STIM1 overexpression is associated with human oral carcinogenesis.

Effects of DSM-5 Betel-Quid-Related Symptoms, Pathological Behaviors, and Use Disorder on Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Risk.

The neuroactive alkaloids in betel quid (BQ) can induce BQ addiction. We conducted a case-control study to investigate the effects of BQ-associated DSM-5 symptoms, pathological behaviors, and BQ use disorder (BUD) on oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) risk. A total of 233 patients with newly diagnosed and histopathologically confirmed OSCC and 301 sex- and age-matched controls were included. BQ-related DSM-5 symptoms in the 12 months prior to disease onset were used to measure psychiatric characteristics and BUD. Compared with nonchewers, chewers with the symptoms of unsuccessful cutdown of BQ consumption, neglecting major roles, social or interpersonal problems, abandoning or limiting activities, hazardous use, and continued use despite the awareness of the dangers had a 54.8-, 49.3-, 49.9-, 40.4-, 86.2-, and 42.9-fold higher risk of developing OSCC, respectively. Mild-to-moderate and severe BUD were, respectively, associated with a 8.2-8.5- and 42.3-fold higher OSCC risk, compared with BQ nonuse. Risky BQ use of pathological behavior was associated with a 12.5-fold higher OSCC risk in chewers with no BUD or mild BUD and a 65.0-fold higher risk in chewers with moderate-to-severe BUD (p for risk heterogeneity between the two BUD groups, 0.041). In conclusion, BQ-associated DSM-5 symptoms, pathological behaviors, and BUD severity are associated with the impact of BQ chewing on OSCC development. The pathological behavior of risky BQ use enhances OSCC risk in chewers with moderate-to-severe BUD. Preventing BUD in new BQ users and treating BUD in chewers who already have the disorder are two priorities in areas where BQ chewing is prevalent.

Overexpression of sprouty 1 protein in human oral squamous cell carcinogenesis.

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Sprouty (SPRY) has four isoforms, SPRY1-4, and its deficiency produces haphazard 'sprouting' of tracheal tubules. This study investigated SPRY1 protein expression in human oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) and oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: 90 OSCCs, 10 OPMDs with malignant transformation (MT), 17 OPMDs without MT, and six normal oral mucosa (NOM) tissue samples were subjected to immunohistochemical staining. Three human oral cancer cell lines (OCCLs), an oral precancer cell line (DOK), and a primary culture of normal oral keratinocytes (HOK) were used for western blotting. RESULTS: Significantly increased expression of SPRY1 protein from NOM and OPMD without MT to OSCC was observed. The protein expressions of SPRY1 in OCCLs were significantly enhanced as compared with DOK and HOK. Increased phosphor/total-ERK expression was observed in OCCLs as compared with HOK. A significantly increased SPRY1 protein level was noted in OPMDs with MT as compared with those without MT, in addition to a significant increase in DOK in comparison with HOK. CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that overexpression of SPRY1 protein is potentially associated with human oral squamous cell carcinogenesis.

Salivary Exosome Proteomics and Bioinformatics Analysis in 7,12-Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene-Induced Oral Cancer with Radiation Therapy-A Syrian Golden Hamster Model.

Exosomes carry cellular proteins and contain molecules that can be potential biomarkers of diseases. This study used a Syrian golden hamster model of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-induced oral squamous cell carcinoma with radiation therapy to exclude the confounding factors that may affect outcomes in clinical studies, and re-examine the role of exosomes during tumorigenesis. We used data-dependent acquisition-based quantitative proteomics and bioinformatics analyses and found unique proteins present (desmocollin-2) or absent (Glucagon-cAMP-PKA-CREB pathway-related proteins) in the salivary exosomes of the pre-radiation DMBA-treated group (PreD). Comparing our data to other studies, salivary exosomes in the PreD group were found carrying proteins that the tumor mass does not express and lacking the proteins needed during tumorigenesis. Immunohistochemistry staining showed p53 expression but a negative apoptotic signal in the PreD tumor tissue. We thus suggest that inhibition of desmocollin-2 expression in tumor tissue may impede the activation of cell apoptosis. However, both the origin of the salivary exosomes and main role of the salivary exosome proteins should be clarified in future studies.

A special needs dentistry study of institutionalized individuals with intellectual disability in West Sumatra Indonesia.

People with intellectual disability have a higher risk of oral health problems. This study assessed the clinical oral health status and behaviors and treatment needs of people living in an institution in Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia. We quantified oral health status of 65 individuals with intellectual disability using Oral Hygiene Index Simplified (OHIs), Angle's classification of malocclusion, Community Periodontal Index and Treatment Need (CPITN), and decay index and also recorded their brushing behavior. We found that males had significantly lower OHIs (p < 0.001), more malocclusion (p < 0.001), greater caries number (p < 0.001), greater CPITN (p = 0.001) and higher need of dental treatment (p < 0.01) than females. Additionally, we found that high caries number was associated with poor OHIS, malocclusion, periodontal disease, and dependent brushing behavior (p < 0.001). The findings of this study imply that there is a gap in appropriate oral health care in individuals with intellectual disability. There should be a greater focus on providing appropriate oral health education to people with intellectual disability, improving the health literacy and quality of care of caregivers, and providing more dentists with specialized training in special needs dentistry.