Salivary transforming growth factor beta in oral submucous fibrosis: A diagnostic and predictive marker

Context: Growth factors and cytokines like transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) play a key role in the pathogenesis of oral submucous fibrosis. Aims: To elucidate the role of Salivary TGF-β isoforms as a predictive and diagnostic marker for oral submucous fibrosis. Settings and Design: A total of 30 OSMF and 10 control patients were included in this study, and their clinic-epidemiological data was recorded. Methodology: The expression of TGF-β genes—TGF-β1, TGF-β2, TGF-β3—was studied by a real-time polymerase chain reaction in tissue and saliva. Patients were given medicinal intervention for 12 weeks along with jaw-opening exercises. Expression of salivary TGF-β genes was studied at 12 weeks. Statistical Analysis Used: SPSS software version 20. Result: Expression of salivary TGF beta isoforms in OSMF was more than in the control group. There was an increase in salivary TGF-β1, β2, β3 expressions with increasing clinical grades of OSMF and advancing the stage of the disease. Expression of all the TGF beta isoforms was decreased after treatment with statistically significant results. Statistically significant correlations were found between the mean difference of TGF-β1 and the mean difference between mouth opening and tongue protrusion. Conclusion: Salivary TGF-β isoforms may be used in diagnosis, risk assessment, and screening of the entire population at risk of OSMF after its clinical validation. However, adequate sample size and segmental assessment of the expression of TGF-β isoforms are needed for further evaluation.