Saliva As A Biomarker Tool

Abstract

Saliva is a readily accessible biofluid that contains numerous genetic biomarkers to predict and diagnose several diseases. Salivary DNA is a robust marker for diagnostics and the quality of DNA yield obtained from saliva is comparable with blood and urine and can be used for genetic and molecular analysis. DNA and RNA from saliva could be used as genetic biomarkers for oral squamous cell carcinoma and other diseases. Nowadays, noncoding RNAs such as microRNAs (miRNAs), small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs), circular RNA (circRNA), and piwi-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) found in saliva are considered as potential disease markers. The small size and stability of these molecules in various body fluids including saliva makes them advantageous in molecular diagnostics. Furthermore, salivary 8-OHdG can be used as a biomarker of DNA damage to assess disease progression, for example, from oral premalignant disorder to oral cancer. Salivary diagnostics is an emerging field along with the application of genomics aid in the early detection of different diseases. These genomic alphabets of saliva may serve as a timely, cost-effective, non-invasive diagnostic medium. This review aims to discuss the genetic biomarkers of saliva in various diseases.