Expression of COX – 2 in Oral Leukoplakia Using RT-PCR: A Molecular Study

Background: Oral leukoplakia is a potentially malignant disorder that in a small but significant proportion of cases changes into oral cancer. Literature review suggests the association of inflammatory mediator such as cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2) with oral cancer. Expression of COX-2 gene in the oral potentially malignant disorders and oral cancer may add on a light to the existing diagnostics and therapeutics of these oro-mucosal diseases. Aim: To compare the expression of COX-2 gene in oral leukoplakia with that of controls. Methodology: The present study comprised of 40 subjects. 20 subjects each in oral leukoplakia & controls. Tissue samples were collected at the time of biopsy for the clinically diagnosed cases of leukoplakia and also from control subjects and stored in RNAase free containers. RNA was isolated and COX-2 gene expression was noted through RTPCR method. Results: Demographic details were expressed in mean±standard deviation. Mann-Whitney test was applied to correlate the COX-2 expression between the groups and other parameters. A statistically significant higher expression of COX-2 was found in oral leukoplakia (0.739±0.078) when compared to controls (0.138±0.103) with P<0.000. Conclusion: COX-2 expression can be used as an adjunct to assess the severity of oral leukoplakia & for early diagnosis of malignant diseases.