title: Apoptosis, mitosis, PCNA and bcl-2 in normal, leukoplakic and malignant epithelia of the human oral cavity: prospective, in vivo study.
abstract: Disordered balance between proliferation and apoptosis may contribute to carcinogenesis. Thirty-two oral biopsies were collected prospectively: 10 normal (N), 10 leukoplakia (dysplasia, D = 5; hyperplasia, H = 5) and 12 squamous cell carcinoma (C: 11). Distant normal tissue was also collected (HN, DN, CN). Based on counts of 1000 cells/slide, mitotic (MI), apoptotic (AI) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA: PI) indices were calculated and bcl-2 expression recorded. AI correlated with MI (P < 0.001), but not PI or bcl-2 expression. PCNA was higher in H and HN than other groups (P < 0.0001). bcl-2 was reduced in C and CN (P < 0.001). Peak mitosis shifted basally in dysplasia, whilst peak apoptosis remained unaltered. These data confirm topographical alterations in proliferation relative to apoptosis in dysplasia of the oral cavity. Reduced bcl-2 in carcinoma and related 'normal' epithelium was unexpected, and may contribute to the high incidence of metachronous carcinomas in these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT Surgery, Royal Brisbane Hospital, Australia.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Birchall
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schock
authors.forename: B V
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Harmon
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gobé
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008938:Mitosis; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009959:Oropharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2