Vijayakumar T

Cell mediated and humoral immune responses in oral submucous fibrosis.

Cell‐mediated and humoral immune responses were assessed in 50 patients with oral submucous fibrosis (OSMF) and the results were compared with those of 50 patients with oral‐leukoplakia, 50 oral cancer patients, and 50 normal healthy adult controls. The number of high‐affinity rosette‐forming cells (HARFC) was found to be significantly decreased in OSMF and oral cancer, whereas the number of total rosette‐forming cells (TRFC) remained unaltered. Levels of serum IgA, IgD, and IgE were found to be elevated both in OSMF and oral cancer. Immunologic derangements were found to be more pronounced in oral cancer than in OSMF. The enumeration of HARFC along with the estimation of serum levels of IgA, IgD, and IgE indicates that OSMF can be an intermediary stage in the malignant transformation of a normal cell, and that these parameters may serve as markers for the early detection of oral cancer.

Serum immunoglobulins in patients with carcinoma of the oral cavity, uterine cervix and breast.

SummarySerum immunoglobulin levels (IgG, IgA, IgM, IgD and IgE) were estimated in 196 patients with carcinoma of the oral cavity, 172 patients with cervical cancer and 166 patients with breast cancer. The values were compared with those of 50 patients with benign lesions of the breast and cervix and 100 healthy adult controls. Only the serum IgE levels were found to be elevated in the benign group. Serum IgA, IgD and IgE levels were found to be elevated in all the three types of cancers and the levels were found to increase with clinical stage. In carcinoma of uterine cervix IgG levels were also found to be elevated. Immunoglobulins A and D returned to normal after clinical cure whereas IgE remained slightly elevated. IgD and IgE remained high in patients who had residual cancer.

Circulating immune complexes as an immunological marker in premalignant and malignant lesions of the oral cavity

Circulating immune complexes and their immunoglobulin contents were estimated in the sera of 50 patients with oral leukoplakia, 50 patients with oral submucous fibrosis and 50 oral cancer patients. The values were compared with that of 50 normal controls. The circulating immune complexes and their immunoglobulin contents were found to be elevated significantly both in oral submucous fibrosis and oral cancer. This study seems to be of help in monitoring the malignant transformation of oral submucous fibrosis to oral cancer.

Lectin histochemistry of oral premalignant and malignant lesions: Correlation of JFL and PNA binding pattern with tumour progression

The expression of glycoconjugates specific to Jack fruit lectin (JFL) and peanut agglutinin (PNA) in various clinicopathological stages of tumour progression in the oral mucosa were studied. These included various clinical forms of dysplastic and non-dysplastic oral leucoplakias, carcinomas, normal keratinising (gingiva) and non-keratinising (buccal mucosa) epithelia. It was seen that the binding patterns of PNA and JFL in the epithelial cells of various types of oral lesions were more or less similar. Normal non-keratinising epithelium showed mild membrane staining only in the spinal layers, while normal keratinising epithelium showed a moderate membrane staining and mild cytoplasmic staining in all layers. Moderate membrane and mild cytoplasmic staining were observed in leucoplakias, irrespective of various clinical or histological types. In carcinomas, the intensity of lectin binding was high, particularly in the membrane of differentiated cells. Correlation analysis of the binding pattern of PNA and JFL showed significant correlation in the membrane and cytoplasm of all layers with histological stages of tumour progression. The present study thus showed that PNA and JFL may be used as cytochemical probes in differentiating malignancy from benign lesions of the oral mucosa.

Total hemolytic complement (CH50) and its fractions (C3 and C4) in the sera of patients with carcinoma of the oral cavity, uterine cervix, and breast.

The total hemolytic complement activity of CH50 and its fractions C3 and C4 was determined in the sera of 196 patients with carcinoma of the oral cavity, 172 patients with carcinoma of the uterine cervix, and 166 patients with breast cancer. The values were compared with those of 18 patients with mammary dysplasia, 32 patients with mild to moderate dysplasia of the cervix, and 100 healthy, normal age- and sex-matched controls. No alterations in CH50, C3, and C4 were observed in the sera of patients with benign lesions, whereas a significant rise in the three factors was observed in all the cancer patients studied. The complement activity increased significantly with the progression of the disease up to stage III and remained persistently elevated thereafter. Patients who had a clinical cure had normal levels of CH50, C3, and C4, whereas the values remained elevated in patients who were still undergoing treatment for residual lesions.

Immunological phenomena in human oral carcinoma in India

INTRODUCTION ORAL CANCER is one of the 10 most common cancers in the world, and in countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka it is the most common cancer. Hospital-based registries in India reveal that oral cancer accounts for about 30-40% of all malignancies in the country [I]. The prevalence of oral premalignant lesions, such as leukoplakia and submucous fibrosis, has also been found to be high in this country. The aetiology of these high incidences of oral premalignant and malignant lesions is not fully understood. Chewing and smoking of tobacco, and consumption of alcohol have been reported to be associated with oral premalignant and malignant lesions [2-41. Studies have also revealed an association of the herpes group of viruses with oral cancer [5-91. Despite marked improvements in various therapeutic modalities, the rate of 5-year survival among oral cancer patients is still low. Throughout the world extensive investigations have been undertaken during the past two decades, on the various aspects of oral cancer. Immunology of oral cancer has been a subject of active research. This article aims to review the major immunological studies undertaken so far in India.

Search for Tissue Specific Plant Lectins A Preliminary Report

Extract of the seeds ofAnona reticulata, Camellia sinensis, Bauhinia acuminata, Cassia tomentosa, Malus sylvestris, Trigonella foenumgraecum, Cephalandra indica, Lawsonia inermis, Anacardium occidentale, Mangifera indica, Nephelium litchi, Citrus lemoni, Aegle marmelos, Quassia amara, Mimusops elengi, Achras sapota, Datura stramonium, Thevetia nerifolia, Persea americana andCycas circinalis, were screened for lectin activity by haemagglutination and haemagglutination inhibition assays. Lectin-like activity was detected only in the seeds ofMangifera indica and Perseaamericana. The conventional methods for the isolation of lectins could not separate the haemagglutinins from the extracts. The properties of these agglutinins suggest that they are not lectins.