EVALUATION OF NITRIC OXIDE EXPRESSION IN ORAL CANCER

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine and compare the (NO) Nitric Oxide expression in oral cancer. METHODS: twelve (12) patients (8 male and 4 female), aged 30-65 years were included in this study after informed consent, were afflicted with oral cancer. Five (5) healthy patients to be treated for impacted third molar extraction were also included in the study as control group. Immunohystochemical, RT-PCR and Western Blot analysis were used to localize Nitric Oxide in the examined samples. RESULTS: Our results showed that inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) activity was higher in oral cancer when compared to healthy mucosa. Endotelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) was not expressed in healty oral mucosa. It was also found a gradual increase of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) activity together with the progression of the lesions. CONCLUSIONS: These results could ascribe to nitric oxide a determinant role in growth and development of oral cancer, so we hypothesize the use of NO as a marker in the precocious diagnosis of precancerous and cancerous oral lesions.