sodium-dodecyl-sulfate and Leukoplakia--Oral

The frequency of the occurrence of cytokeratins analyzed SDS-electrophoretically in 20 leukoplakic lesions and 14 squamous cell carcinomas of the oral mucosa has shown a picture of "restlessness" with some quantitative, some qualitative deviations from the locally normal pattern of cytokeratins. In most cases the basic pattern typical for the oral mucosa was still recognizable, except for three highly undifferentiated carcinomas. The variations of the cytokeratin pattern existed independently of the clinical form of leukoplakia and of its histological degree of dysplasia. The striking findings in some, but not all cases were: --the presence of cytokeratin no. 18 as a major component which normally appears rarely and faintly, and of cytokeratin no. 19, which is not normally detectable electrophoretically within the whole oral mucosa; --the absence of cytokeratins no. 1-3 despite of the cornification which was reliably proved by histology; --the appearance of the proteins having molecular mass values of 42 kDa and less which very probably may be the products of partial keratinolysis as evidenced by immunoblotting with monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies to cytokeratins. Among these proteins a proteolytically modified cytokeratin no. 19 of only 38 kDa was found.

Topics: Antibodies, Monoclonal; Biomarkers, Tumor; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Humans; Immunoblotting; Keratins; Leukoplakia, Oral; Mouth Mucosa; Mouth Neoplasms; Precancerous Conditions; Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate