title: Decreased expression of Ku70/Ku80 proteins in malignant melanomas of the oral cavity.
abstract: Ku70/80 are genes responsible for the repairing of DNA double-strand breaks and they function as a regulatory subunit of the DNA-dependent protein kinase. Their expression has not yet been investigated in malignant melanomas of the oral cavity. These tumours are characterized by very poor prognosis and etiology independent of UV-radiation. We investigated 29 malignant melanomas of the oral cavity for the expression of Ku70/80 proteins. Ku70 expression was preserved in 21 out of 29 tumours and the percentage of Ku70-positive cells did not exceed 76%. Ku80 was found in 19 out of 29 tumours and the percentage of Ku80-positive cells peaked at 62%. Correlations between Ku70 and Ku80 expression were lost (p>0.05). We conclude that decreased Ku70/80 expression in malignant melanomas of the oral cavity and loss of correlation between these markers may influence progression of oral melanomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cytopathology, University of Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Monika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Korabiowska
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tscherny
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Grohmann
authors.forename: Johannes F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Hönig
authors.forename: Stanislaw B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Bartkowski
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cordon-Cardo
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Brinck
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D004265:DNA Helicases; D004260:DNA Repair; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D000072200:Ku Autoantigen; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D034961:Antigens, Nuclear; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D004265:DNA Helicases; C106893:XRCC5 protein, human; C000606509:Xrcc6 protein, human; D000072200:Ku Autoantigen