title: Cyclo-oxygenase-1 and -2 expression in human oral mucosa, dysplasias and squamous cell carcinomas and their pathological significance.
abstract: Cyclo-oxygenase (COX) is a key enzyme in the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostanoids. The expression of its isoforms, COX-1 and -2 is found in many human malignancies. This study analyzed the correlation between COX expression and the pathobiological nature of human oral mucosa, dysplasias and squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs). We examined 9 specimens of normal oral epithelia, 65 lesions with dysplasias and 50 SCCs. Labeling indices (LIs) for COX-1, COX-2, Ki-67 and P53, microvessel density (MVD) and apoptotic index (AI) were evaluated using immunohistochemistry and TUNEL methods. Western blot analysis of COX-1 and -2 was performed on four human oral SCC cell lines, all of which showed expression. The LIs for COX-1 and -2 were higher for the dysplasias than the SCCs. LIs of COX-2 but not COX-1 correlated with the histological grade of dysplasia, being highest for the severe dysplasias (p < 0.05). In contrast, the COX-2 LIs as well as COX-1 were significantly (p < 0.05) inversely correlated with the histological differentiation of the SCCs. COX-2 expression was significantly correlated with LIs of COX-1 for dysplasia (p < 0.05), but not for the SCCs. In addition no significant relationship was noted between COX-2 expression and the Lis of Ki-67, P53, AI as well as MVD for the dysplasias and SCCs. The expression of COX-1 and -2 is correlated with early stage tumorigenesis and cellular differentiation of SCCs in the oral dysplasia-carcinoma sequence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Pathology, Division of Organ Pathology, Tottori University 36-1, Nishi-cho, Yonago 683 8504, Japan. shibata@grape.med.tottori-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Masami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shibata
authors.forename: Isamu
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kodani
authors.forename: Mitsuhiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Osaki
authors.forename: Kunio
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Araki
authors.forename: Hironobu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.forename: Kazuo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ryoke
authors.forename: Hisao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ito
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000098:blood supply / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D051545:Cyclooxygenase 1; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000098:blood supply / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases / Q000032:analysis*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D051545:Cyclooxygenase 1; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496511:PTGS1 protein, human; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases