Salivary Osteopontin as a Potential Biomarker for Oral Mucositis

Abstract

Osteopontin (OPN), a multifunctional phosphoglycoprotein also presents in saliva, plays a crucial role in tumour progression, inflammation and mucosal protection. Mucosal barrier injury due to high-dose conditioning regimen administered during autologous and allogeneic peripheral stem cell transplantation (APSCT) has neither efficient therapy nor established biomarkers. Our aim was to assess the biomarker role of OPN during APSCT, with primary focus on oral mucositis (OM). Serum and salivary OPN levels were determined by ELISA in 10 patients during APSCT at four stages of transplantation (day −3/−7, 0, +7, +14), and in 23 respective healthy controls. Results: There was a negative correlation between both salivary and serum OPN levels and grade of OM severity during APSCT (r = −0.791, p = 0.019; r = −0.973, p = 0.001). Salivary OPN increased at days +7 (p = 0.011) and +14 (p = 0.034) compared to controls. Among patients, it was higher at day +14 compared to the time of admission (day −3/−7) (p = 0.039) and transplantation (day 0) (p = 0.011). Serum OPN remained elevated at all four stages of transplantation compared to controls (p = 0.013, p = 0.02, p = 0.011, p = 0.028). During APSCT elevated salivary OPN is a potential non-invasive biomarker of oral mucositis whereas the importance of high serum OPN warrants further studies.

Differential Glycosylation Levels in Saliva from Patients with Lung or Breast Cancer: A Preliminary Assessment for Early Diagnostic Purposes

“…Saliva is a readily available substrate that does not bring any harassment to the patient when collected, and it is already proved to be a viable substrate for the detection of several pathologies, such as periodontitis, oral cancer, and cardiovascular diseases [ 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 ]. As a complex oral fluid originating from salivary glands, saliva is composed of a plethora of secretory proteins, electrolytes, and other substances known to be age/sex related.…”

Salivary Osteopontin was associated with lesion size in patients with oral lichen planus

“…Therefore, OPN levels evaluation can be important in patient follow-up for lesion repair. During in ammation, OPN is helping the formation of granulation tissue and connective tissue remodeling around the epithelium ulcer(Gebri et al, 2021). Epithelial cells secret OPN that is necessary in epithelial barrier integrity maintenance and helps the transition from innate to adaptive immune response with initiation of repair(Sodek, Batista Da Silva, & Zohar, 2006).…”