Method: Frozen tissue samples from archival material were correlated with clinical data regarding VELscope fluorescence characteristics. Total RNA was extracted and relative gene expression was then assessed using Next Generation Sequencing (NGS). Moreover, relative expression of deregulated genes was confirmed using RT-qPCR.
Result: Forty-five samples were retrieved from biopsies performed between February 2008 and June 2013. These included 5 cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma with LAF; 11 cases of oral lichen planus (5 LAF with no blanching, 5 LAF with partial/complete blanching, 1 with no LAF); 15 cases of oral epithelial dysplasia (5 LAF with no blanching, 5 LAF complete/partial blanching, 5 no LAF) and 15 cases of benign keratosis/hyperplasia (5 LAF with no blanching, 5 LAF complete/partial blanching, 5 no LAF).
Conclusion: Assessment of relative gene expression profiles using NGS is a novel approach to identify molecular pathways which contribute to different phenotypes of the same disease process, and similar phenotypes of different disease processes. Therefore, this study provides insight into the association of the altered level of gene expression of oral mucosa conditions and their autofluorescence ability.