[Frontiers in Bioscience S1, 296-303, June 1, 2009]

Current advances in identification of cancer biomarkers in saliva

Martha Arellano1, Jiang Jiang1, Xiaofeng Zhou2, Lifeng Zhang1, Hui Ye2, David T. Wong1, 3, Shen Hu1, 3

1School of Dentistry and Dental Research Institute, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA 90095,2Center for Molecular Biology of Oral Diseases, College of Dentistry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago IL 60612, 3Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles CA 90095

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Abstract
2. Introduction
3. Genomic targets in saliva
3.1. DNA
3.1.1. Mutation
3.1.2. DNA methylation
3.1.3. Viral DNA
3.2. RNA
4. Proteomic targets in saliva
4.1. Systemic identification in salivary proteins
4.2. Elevated levels of specific protein molecules
4.3. Antibodies to mutant proteins and viral targets
5. Perspective
6. Acknowledgements
7. References

1. ABSTRACT

Saliva samples from certain disease patients harbor a wide spectrum of proteins, mRNAs, DNAs and other molecules that may be associated with the disease phenotype. If successfully discovered and validated, these informative molecules may serve as biomarkers, leading to the use of non-invasive biofluid for detecting and monitoring the diseases. This article summarizes the current advances in searching for potential biomarkers in saliva for human cancers, especially head and neck/oral cancers. With the new molecular profiling technologies such as microarray and proteomics, we are expecting to reveal highly discriminatory genomic and proteomic targets that can best detect the disease status.