title: Overexpression of the Wilms' tumor gene WT1 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: The expression levels of the Wilms' tumor gene WT1 were examined in 56 cases of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) using quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). They included 4 cases of floor of mouth, 9 of gingiva, 25 of tongue, 10 of oropharynx, 3 of hypopharynx, and 5 larynx squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). All (100%) of 4 cases of floor of mouth, 5 (56%) of 9 gingiva, 17 (68%) of 25 tongue, 8 (80%) of 10 oropharynx, all (100%) of 3 hypopharynx, and all (100%) of 5 larynx SCC overexpressed the WT1 gene in the range of 3.07 x 10(-4)-8.60 x 10(-1) levels (the WT1 expression level in K562 leukemic cells was defined as 1.0). Thus, 42 (75%) out of 56 cases of HNSCC overexpressed the WT1 gene. The high expression level of the WT1 gene significantly correlated with poor histological tumor differentiation and high tumor stage of HNSCC. Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed the expression of WT1 protein in 6 cases (one floor of mouth, 2 tongue, 2 oropharynx, and one larynx SCC) with overexpression of the WT1 gene. The direct sequencing analysis of the WT1 genomic DNA showed no mutations in any of 10 exons of the WT1 gene in 5 different HNSCC. These findings suggest an important role of the wild-type WT1 gene in the tumorigenesis of HNSCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Functional Diagnostic Science, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Oji
authors.forename: Hidenori
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Inohara
authors.forename: Mitsuhiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakazawa
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Shiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akahani
authors.forename: Shin-ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakatsuka
authors.forename: Satoko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Koga
authors.forename: Ai
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ikeba
authors.forename: Sakie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abeno
authors.forename: Yuichiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Honjo
authors.forename: Yoshifumi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: Soichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Iwai
authors.forename: Kaori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Yoshihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Oka
authors.forename: Hiroyasu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ogawa
authors.forename: Jun-ichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yoshida
authors.forename: Katsuyuki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Aozasa
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kubo
authors.forename: Haruo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D025721:WT1 Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D025721:WT1 Proteins