1Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Dental College & Hospital, Azamgarh, U.P., India
2Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Dental College & Hospital, Azamgarh, U.P., India
3Department of Biochemistry, Dental College & Hospital, Azamgarh, U.P., India
Oral squamous cell carcinoma is a devastating disease accounting for 50–70% of total cancer mortality in India. The disease is mediated by a diversity of endogenous and environmental stimuli. “Free radicals” are postulated to be involved in pathogenesis of oral squamous cell carcinoma. The antioxidant defence system of the body protects cell injury induced by these free radicals. Oxidative damages or alterations occur when there is imbalance, between free radicals production and cell's oxidant capacity. Such types of oxidative stress may lead to cytotoxicity, mutation and change in genetic expression resulting in carcinogenesis.
To investigate the dynamic alterations of antioxidant level in tumor tissue and blood of oral squamous cell carcinoma patients.
Levels of antioxidants such as reduced glutathione (GSH) and ascorbic acid (AA) and the activities of Antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxides (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), were estimated in the tumor tissue and blood of 40 oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients and in 20 healthy subjects as control.
Significantly, increased levels of GSH, GPx, GR and AA, and significantly decreased activity of SOD was observed in tumor tissue (p < 0.001) and in tumor-free tissue of oral sqamous cell carcinoma patients, as compared with healthy subjects. In contrast, decrease in antioxidants (GSH, GPx, GR and AA p < 0.001, SOD p < 0.05 respectively) was observed in the blood of oral squamous cell carcinoma patients, as compared with healthy subjects.
Antioxidant enzymes, Free radicals, Oxidative stress, Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC)
