This study aimed to evaluate the immunoexpression of glucose transporters 1 (GLUT-1) and 3 (GLUT-3) in metastatic and non-metastatic lower lip squamous cell carcinoma (LLSCC). Twenty LLSCCs with regional nodal metastasis and 20 LLSCCs without metastasis were selected. The distribution of staining and the percentage of GLUT-1 and GLUT-3 staining in each tumor core and at the deep invasive front were assessed. Most tumors (70%) exhibited peripheral staining for GLUT-1 in nests, sheets and islands of neoplastic cells, whereas predominantly central staining was observed for GLUT-3 (72.5%). A high percentage of GLUT-1-positive cells was observed at the deep invasive front and in the tumor core of metastatic and non-metastatic tumors (p>0.05). The percentage of GLUT-1-positive cells was much higher than that of GLUT-3-positive cells both in the deep invasive front (p<0.001) and in the tumor core (p<0.001) of LLSCCs. No significant differences in the percentage of GLUT-1- and GLUT-3-positive cells were observed according to nodal metastasis, clinical stage or histological grade of malignancy (p>0.05). In conclusion, the results of the present study suggest an important role of GLUT-1 in glucose uptake in LLSCCs, although this protein does not seem to be involved in the progression of these tumors. On the other hand, GLUT-3 expression may represent a secondary glucose uptake mechanism in LLSCCs.

Staphylococci are considered members of the transient oral microbiota and are seldom isolated from the oral cavity. The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence of subgingival staphylococci in healthy and periodontal disease sites. Sterile endodontic paper points were used to isolate subgingival staphylococci in periodontally healthy and periodontally diseased sites in 30 adult subjects (n=540 sites). Staphylococcus spp were identified by an automated method and confirmed by conventional biochemical tests. All the samples were identified as coagulase-negative staphylococci. The results were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U, chi-square and Fisher's exact test at 5% significance level. A total of 86.7% of the subjects harbored these microorganisms in 11.7% of their periodontal sites. The most frequently isolated species was S. auricularis, which was isolated from 31.4% of the periodontal sites, followed by S. epidermidis, isolated from 21.4% of them. There was no statistically significant difference between the frequencies of these species isolated either from the healthy and the diseased sites (p>0.153). Although staphylococci are present in the subgingival environment and contribute to the pathogenic synergism involved in periodontal diseases, the results suggest that they do not participate directly in the pathogenesis of these diseases.

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