Changing expression of E- and P-cadherin during rat tongue carcinogenesis induced by 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide.
BACKGROUND
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) develops from pre-malignant lesions, but the role of cell adhesion molecules such as E-cadherin (E-CD) and P-cadherin (P-CD) in the pre-malignant stage has not been elucidated.


METHODS
The expression of E-CD and P-CD was examined immunohistochemically and biochemically in a 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4NQO)-induced rat model of carcinogenesis.


RESULTS
The expression of E-CD in the pre-malignant stage was the same as that in the normal epithelium. The expression of P-CD was even throughout the prickle cell layer in the dysplasia stage. E-CD and P-CD were expressed in essentially the same locations in SCC and in the pre-malignant stage. P-CD expression was very strong in the pre-malignant stage, compared to that in normal epithelium.


CONCLUSIONS
Aberrant P-CD expression in E-CD-positive cells may play a crucial role in the progression of the pre-malignant stage of 4NQO-induced carcinogenesis, and may activate mechanisms responsible for cell proliferation.
Sakaki
Toshio
T
Second Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Osaka Dental University, Osaka, Japan. sakaki-t@cc.osaka-dent.ac.jp
Tamura
Isao
I
Kadota
Hidetaka
H
Kakudo
Kenji
K
D015112:4-Nitroquinoline-1-oxide / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000032:analysis*; D002273:Carcinogens / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism*; D002455:Cell Division; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004848:Epithelium / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006965:Hyperplasia; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism*
D015820:Cadherins; D002273:Carcinogens; D015112:4-Nitroquinoline-1-oxide