title: Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis of HER-2/neu in brushings of normal oral mucosa.
abstract: Oncogene alterations have been clearly demonstrated to be related to the carcinogenesis and progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). However, the analysis of these alterations for screening and early diagnostic purposes generally requires invasive techniques for surgical removal of pathological epithelium. The aim of the present study was to assess the feasibility of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis of HER-2/neu amplification in oral mucosa brushings and to compare the HER-2/neu status with the history and smoking and drinking habits of healthy subjects. Cells obtained by centrifugation of oral brushings from 21 subjects (overall no. of cells: 5125) were suspended in physiological saline and fixed onto two slides for cytological evaluation and FISH analysis (dual-target, dual-color fluorescence assay) of the HER-2/neu gene and CEP17 centromere. A mean of 89.8% of the cells showed two HER-2/neu signals and a mean of 94% had two CEP17 signals at fluorescent microscopy. Finally, a mean of 96% of cells with HER-2/neu / CEP17 had a ratio equal to 1. No association between smoking and drinking habits, age and the HER-2/neu and CEP17 characteristics evaluated by FISH was found.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Experimental Oncology Laboratory, National Cancer Institute, Via Amendola 209, Bari, Italy. anpara@tin.it
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paradiso
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abatangelo
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Piepoli
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tommasi
authors.forename: Jian Ming
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Maria Angela
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Caponio
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marzullo
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: D'Auria
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Achille
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Grammatica
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases