title: Effect of WNT-1 on beta-catenin expression and its relation to Ki-67 and tumor differentiation in oral squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: WNT-1 has been demonstrated to play an important role in the carcinogenesis of some cancers, but its significance in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has not yet been elucidated. We investigated the WNT-1 expression in OSCC, its role on the expression of beta-catenin and its relation to Ki-67 and tumor differentiation. Surgical specimens from 82 OSCC patients were examined for WNT-1, beta-catenin, E-cadherin, gamma-catenin and Ki-67 expression by immunohistochemical staining. The results were compared with the clinicopathological data and the relationships were correlated. WNT-1 expression was low in 39 cases, moderate in 5 cases, and high in 38 cases. WNT-1 showed a significant association with the expression of beta-catenin, E-cadherin, gamma-catenin and Ki-67. It was significantly correlated with tumor differentiation. The results of this study showed that WNT-1 expression is correlated with beta-catenin, Ki-67 and tumor differentiation, which suggested that WNT-1 might play an important role in the disturbed differentiation and uncontrolled proliferation during OSCC carcinogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, College of Stomatology, Peking University, 22 Zhong Guan Cun Street, Hai-Dian District, Beijing 100081, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Wei-Min
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Lorenzo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lo Muzio
authors.forename: Corrado
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rubini
authors.forename: Gao
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yan
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051180:Desmoplakins; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism*; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism*; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D051155:Wnt1 Protein; D051176:beta Catenin; D051185:gamma Catenin
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; D015820:Cadherins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D051180:Desmoplakins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; C495292:JUP protein, human; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D015534:Trans-Activators; C495247:WNT1 protein, human; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D051155:Wnt1 Protein; D051176:beta Catenin; D051185:gamma Catenin