title: CD44 variant 6 (CD44v6) expression as a progression marker in benign, premalignant and malignant oral epithelial tissues.
abstract: The change in the expression pattern of CD44 variant 6 (CD44v6) protein in benign, premalignant, and malignant (SCC) oral epithelial lesions was studied immunohistochemically and compared with the pattern in normal mucosa in order to examine whether this gene can serve as a progression marker in patients with SCC. The principal findings is that CD44v6 expression was clearly downregulated in most cases of severe premalignant lesions as well as in most of the SCCs. The staining pattern and intensity varied according to the degree of dysplasia and to the degree of differentiation of the SCCs. Premalignant severe epithelial dysplasia cases with early features of invasion, not yet developed into SCC, showed distinctly downregulated expression of CD44v6 protein whereas hyperplastic and benign epithelial lesions (papilloma) expressed positive staining patterns comparable to those of the normal counterparts. The authors conclude that alteration in CD44v6 may occur as an early event in primary oral SCC development, as well as in premalignant severe epithelial dysplasia. It can thus, be used as a molecular progression marker when screening for oral cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 1, Hiroshima University School of Dentistry, Japan.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bahar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kunishi
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kayada
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshiga
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004396:Coloring Agents; D018450:Disease Progression; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004848:Epithelium / Q000473:pathology; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D006965:Hyperplasia; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008403:Mass Screening; D008967:Molecular Biology; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000473:pathology*; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D010212:Papilloma / Q000473:pathology; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004396:Coloring Agents; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53