ArticleCureus2026
Comparative Evaluation of Salivary Zinc Finger E-Box Binding Homeobox 1 (ZEB1) Levels in Healthy Individuals, Periodontitis, and Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Article in Cureus, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background Periodontitis and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) are chronic conditions sharing common pathogenic mechanisms, including inflammation and molecular dysregulation. Zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1), a key regulator of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), may serve as a potential biomarker linking these conditions. This study aimed to evaluate and compare salivary ZEB1 levels and clinical periodontal parameters among healthy individuals, periodontitis patients, and patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), and to assess the potential of salivary ZEB1 as a non-invasive biomarker associated with periodontal disease and oral cancer. Methodology A total of 90 participants were included in this cross-sectional study. The patients were categorized into the following three equal groups: Group A included healthy individuals, Group B included periodontitis patients, and Group C included OSCC patients. Periodontal parameters, gingival index, plaque index, probing pocket depth, and clinical attachment loss were recorded in Groups A and B. Unstimulated saliva samples were obtained from all participants and subjected to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay analysis for the estimation of ZEB1 levels. Statistical evaluation of the data was performed using one-way analysis of variance, followed by Tukey's post hoc test. Results The periodontitis group demonstrated significantly higher clinical periodontal parameters (p < 0.001). Salivary ZEB1 levels were significantly higher across the groups: Group A (3.28 ± 1.72 ng/mL), Group B (12.11 ± 6.81 ng/mL), and Group C (14.96 ± 6.24 ng/mL) (p < 0.001). Intergroup comparisons revealed statistically significant differences between all groups. Elevated ZEB1 levels were associated with increased disease severity. Conclusions Salivary ZEB1 levels were significantly elevated in patients with periodontitis and OSCC, with the highest levels observed in the OSCC group. These findings suggest that ZEB1 may act as a promising non-invasive biomarker linking periodontal inflammation and oral carcinogenesis. It may also have potential applications in early detection and disease monitoring.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.