Aberrant glycosylation of secretory mucin from the oral cavity in tobacco consumers: a pilot study

This pilot study compares salivary mucins, the large sugar-coated proteins that form mucus, across smokers, smokeless tobacco users, and healthy non-smokers. Saliva was tested for mucin and its sugars: mucin content was markedly lower in smokeless tobacco users than in smokers, while sialic acid and fucose rose in both tobacco groups against the healthy cohort. Duration of use stood out as the main factor in damage to the oral lining, and the authors suggest reduced mucin with an altered sugar pattern may play a part in how oral diseases develop.