Change and pathological significance of glycogen content in oral squamous cell carcinoma and oral submucous fibrosis.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the change and pathological significance of glycogen content in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and oral submucous fibrosis (OSF).

METHODS AND MATERIALS: 13 normal oral mucosa (NOM), 12 OSF mucosa, and 35 pairs of OSCC tissues and their corresponding adjacent mucosa tissues (AT) were collected from Xiangya Hospital for PAS staining to detect glycogen. Transcriptome sequencing data from OSCC were used to compare glycogen metabolism gene expression differences. Kaplan-Meier method was conducted to estimate Recurrence-free survival (RFS).

RESULTS: Glycogen levels were lower in OSF than in NOM and lower in OSCC than in AT. Transcriptome sequencing data analysis showed the expression of most glycogenolysis genes was increased and the expression of glycogen synthesis genes including PPP1R3C and GBE1 was decreased in OSCC tissues. High glycogen level was correlated with poor prognosis in OSCC patients under the background of OSF.

CONCLUSION: Glycogen may be used as a potential diagnostic biomolecule for OSF and OSCC, as well as a potential prognostic factor for OSCC in the context of OSF.