Expression of L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) and 4F2 heavy chain (4F2hc) in oral squamous cell carcinoma and its precusor lesions.
BACKGROUND
Amino acid transporters play an important role in supplying organic nutrients to cells. The expression of L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) and its subunit 4F2 heavy chain (4F2hc) was evaluated to determine the alterations of these transporters in oral normal mucosa (ONM), oral precancerous lesion (OPL) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).


METHODS
Sections from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples of ONM, OPL or OSCC were examined using immunohistochemical staining to detect L4T1 and 4F2hc proteins.


RESULTS
The LAT1 and 4F2hc expression increased progressively from ONM to hyperplastic and to dysplastic lesions and OSCC. In particular, LAT1 may be a more specific indicator of tumor progression than 4F2hc.


CONCLUSIONS
LAT1 and 4F2hc may have an important role in the early stages of multistep oral carcinogenesis. In addition, the specific inhibition of LAT1 and 4F2hc might be a new rationale to suppress oral cancer progression.
Kim
Do Kyung
DK
Oral Biology Research Institute, Chosun University College of Dentistry, Gwangju, Korea.
Ahn
Sang Gun
SG
Park
Joo Cheol
JC
Kanai
Yoshikatsu
Y
Endou
Hitoshi
H
Yoon
Jung Hoon
JH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D027282:Fusion Regulatory Protein 1, Heavy Chain / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D027283:Large Neutral Amino Acid-Transporter 1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000378:metabolism
D027282:Fusion Regulatory Protein 1, Heavy Chain; D027283:Large Neutral Amino Acid-Transporter 1