title: Comparative evaluation of 5-15-kDa salivary proteins from patients with different oral diseases by MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study aimed to determine the potential use of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization with time-of-flight/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF MS) for analyzing specific patterns of mass signals of low-molecular-weight proteins in saliva from patients with different oral diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Unstimulated whole saliva samples were collected from healthy subjects (n = 30) and patients with oral diseases including oral cancer (n = 30), oral lichen planus (n = 30), and chronic periodontitis (n = 30). Proteomic profiles of 5,000-15,000-Da salivary proteins were evaluated by MALDI-TOF/TOF MS. Quantification of mass signals was performed by FlexAnalysis and ClinProTool software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In oral cancer, the percentages of mass signals at 5,592.26 and 8,301.46 Da were significantly increased as compared with other groups (p = 0.002 and p = 0.030, respectively). In oral lichen planus, the percentages of mass signals at 12,964.55 and 13,279.08 Da were significantly increased as compared with other groups (p < 0.001, and p < 0.001, respectively). In chronic periodontitis, the percentages of mass signals at 5,835.73 and 9,801.83 Da were significantly decreased as compared with other groups (p = 0.003 and p = 0.005, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study demonstrated a potential use of MALDI-TOF/TOF as a rapid screening method to differentiate one oral disease from others by identifying specific patterns of mass signals in saliva from patients. However, MALDI-TOF/TOF has several limitations regarding the identification of the candidate mass signals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MALDI-TOF/TOF MS can be used as a rapid screening method to differentiate one oral disease from others with a caution concerning peptide identity.
authors: Department of Oral Diagnosis, Faculty of Dentistry, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand, cponla@kku.ac.th.
authors: Ponlatham
authors: P
authors: Chaiyarit
authors: Suwimol
authors: S
authors: Taweechaisupapong
authors: Janthima
authors: J
authors: Jaresitthikunchai
authors: Narumon
authors: N
authors: Phaonakrop
authors: Sittiruk
authors: S
authors: Roytrakul
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009059:Mouth Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D040901:Proteomics; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides / Q000032:analysis*; D012984:Software; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
chemical_list: D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides