CYTOSOLIC GLUTATHIONE S-TRANSFERASE (GST) PROFILING IN PATIENTS SUFFERING FROM SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA (SCC) OF THE BUCCAL MUCOSA AND LUNGS

Prakamya Gupta, Kamaldeep Singh, Abhinav Kamra and Nalini Vemuri*

ABSTRACT

Tobacco smoke and polluted air contain a large number of chemical carcinogens, the most important causes of lung cancer.  Patients who achieve long-term survival are only those with respectable early-stage disease, which unfortunately constitute only a minority of the lung-cancer population. The cells lining the airway consist of epithelial cells, of which there are several types including columnar cells, basal cells, and secretary/goblet cells. It is these cells which are the first lines of defense against airborne inflammatory agents as well as carcinogenic agents. Cytosolic Glutathione S-Transferase can serve as a potential non-invasive diagnostic marker for Squamous cell carcinoma. The enzyme is utilized in the detoxification process involving mercaptopuric acid pathway, and is useful in the elimination of a large number of compounds containing electrophilic centres, including carcinogens. Cytosolic glutathione S-transferase (GST) profiles for tumor-associated proteins for the utilization as biomarkers or molecular targets of patients suffering from Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the buccal mucosa. The development of in vitro cell culture systems of airway epithelia has added to the studies on the pathology of respiratory diseases. Studies in our laboratory wee conducted using human buccal epithelial cells and a lung cell line. Buccal epithelial cells scrapped from inner lining of the mouth and human embryonic pulmonary epithelial cells L-132 cell line were and evaluated for the presence of Glutathione S-Transferase.

*Department of Biotechnology, Jaypee Institute of Information Technology University, Noida, India

E-Mail: Nalini.vemuri@jiit.ac.in