With recent developments in photosensitizers and light delivery systems, topical 5-aminolevulinic acid-mediated photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT) has become the fourth alternative therapeutic approach in the management of oral leucoplakia (OLK) due to its minimally invasive nature, efficacy, and low risk of systemic side effects and disfigurement. This report presents step-by-step guidelines for applying topical ALA-PDT in the management of OLK based on both the clinical experience of the authors and a systematic review of the current literature. Studies using protocols with standardized parameters and randomized clinical trials at multiple centres with adequate sample sizes and both interim and long-term follow-ups are needed before universally applicable guidelines can be produced in this field.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent cells capable of differentiating into multiple cell lineages and contributing to tissue repair and regeneration. Characterization of the physiological function of MSCs has been largely hampered by lack of unique markers. Nestin, originally found in neuroepithelial stem cells, is an intermediate filament protein expressed in the early stages of development. Increasing studies have shown a particular association between Nestin and MSCs. Nestin could characterize a subset of bone marrow perivascular MSCs which contributed to bone development and closely contacted with hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Nestin expressing (Nes⁺) MSCs also play a role in the progression of various diseases. However, Nes⁺cells were reported to participate in angiogenesis as MSCs or endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) in several tissues and be a heterogeneous population comprising mesenchymal cells and endothelial cells in the developing bone marrow. In this review article, we will summarize the progress of the research on Nestin, particularly the function of Nes⁺cells in bone marrow, and discuss the feasibility of using Nestin as a specific marker for MSCs.

Interleukin- (IL-) 23/IL-17 axis is a newly discovered proinflammatory signaling pathway and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of many chronic inflammatory and immune disorders. Here we investigated whether the IL-23/IL-17 axis was present and functional in the lesions of oral lichen planus (OLP), a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the oral mucosa. Using immunohistochemistry and quantitative PCR, we found that the subunits of IL-23 and IL-17 were overexpressed in OLP lesions than in normal oral mucosa tissues. In addition, the expressions of IL-23 and IL-17 are positively correlated in reticular OLP tissues. Results from in vitro studies revealed that exogenous IL-23 could increase the percentage of Th17 cells and IL-17 production in the CD4+T cells from reticular OLP patients. Furthermore, we also found that exogenous IL-17 could significantly enhance the mRNA expressions ofβ-defensin-2, -3, CCL-20, IL-8, and TNF-α, but notβ-defensin-1, CXCL-9, -10, -11, CCL-5, and IL-6 in human oral keratinocytes. Taken together, our results revealed an overexpression pattern and selectively regulatory roles of IL-23/IL-17 axis in the OLP lesions, suggesting that it may be a pivotal regulatory pathway in the complex immune network of OLP lesions.

Head and neck cancer (HNC) ranks as the 6th most common malignancy across the world. Metastasis is a hallmark of cancer, primarily contributing to the relapse and poor prognosis of HNC. Recently, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), previously considered as non-functional, are increasingly appreciated by scholars to play crucial roles in mediating HNC metastasis. LncRNAs, which are located in the nucleus and cytoplasm, mainly exert their function via epigenetic modification, transcriptional control and translational regulation. As several lncRNAs are presently demonstrated to participate in HNC metastasis, we make a summary of the functions and mechanisms regarding these lncRNAs. As shown in the literature, most lncRNAs appear to promote the metastasis of HNC. Hence, we primarily discuss the lncRNAs involved in enhancing metastasis. Additionally, more studies are needed to understand those lncRNAs without clear mechanisms. Furthermore, we introduced the upstream regulator for the aberrant expression of lncRNAs in HNC. Finally, we concisely addressed future research prospects of lncRNAs, particularly the interplay between lncRNAs and tumor immunity as well as lncRNA-targeted therapeutic techniques, and we introduced clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-Display as a possibly transformative tool to study lncRNAs. Although lncRNA research is still in the initial stage, it holds great promise to be applied as a prognosticator of HNC and a therapeutic target to inhibit HNC metastasis, which could significantly enhance the outcome of HNC patients.

Background: Amlexanox has been developed as a 5 percent topical oral paste for the treatment of patients with recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) in most European countries. However, it is not yet available in China and has not been generally accepted in clinical treatment. The aim of this study was to explore the effectiveness of amlexanox oral adhesive pellicles in the treatment of minor recurrent aphthous ulcers, and compare the results with those of amlexanox oral adhesive tablets in order to analyse the difference between the two dosage forms of amlexanox.Methods: We performed a randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled, parallel, multicenter clinical study. A total of 216 patients with minor recurrent aphthous ulcers (MiRAU) were recruited and randomized to amlexanox pellicles or placebo pellicles. Pellicles were consecutively applied four times per day, for five days. The size and pain level of ulcers were measured and recorded on treatment days 0, 4 and 6. Finally, the results were compared with those of our previous 104 cases treated with amlexanox tablets.Results: Amlexanox oral adhesive pellicles significantly reduced ulcer size (P= 0.017 for day 4, P=0.038 for day 6) and alleviated ulcer pain (P=0.021 for day 4, P=0.036 for day 6). No significant difference was observed in the treatment effectiveness between the pellicle and tablet form of amlexanox.Conclusions: Amlexanox oral adhesive pellicles are as effective and safe as amlexanox oral adhesive tablets in the treatment of MiRAU for this Chinese cohort. However, pellicles seem to be more comfortable to use when compared with the dosage form of tablets. Therefore, in clinical practice, amlexanox oral adhesive pellicles may be a better choice for RAS patients.Trials registration: Nederlands Trial Register NTR1727.