Long noncoding RNA DQ786243 and miRNA146a as potential salivary biomarkers for selected oral potentially malignant disorders: a diagnostic accuracy study.

Objective: Assess the diagnostic accuracy of salivary long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) DQ786243 and miRNA-146a as potential biomarkers for differentiating oral lichen planus (OLP) and oral leukoplakia (OL), both belonging to oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs), from healthy controls.

Study design: Forty-five subjects were enrolled in a consecutive manner and allocated into 3 groups. Group I: 20 participants suffering from OLP. Group II: 15 patients with OL. Group III: 10 healthy controls. Expression of DQ786243 and miRNA146a in saliva was measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Reference standard was histopathological examination of OLP and OL.

Results: The greatest elevation of DQ8786243 and miRNA146a fold change (FC) occurred in OLP patients, especially erosive type, followed by OL group, whereas it was the lowest in healthy controls. Sensitivity and specificity of salivary DQ8786243 were 97.14% and 100%, respectively, at a cut point of 1.8 FC, delineating the difference between disease and control. Concerning miRNA146a, at a cut point of 1.4 FC, sensitivity and specificity were 94.29% and 100%, respectively.

Conclusions: LncRNA DQ786243 and miRNA146a could be promising salivary biomarkers in the detection of OPMDs, especially OLP and OL. Salivary expression of both markers was the highest in erosive OLP.