title: Expression of protein tyrosine kinases in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.
abstract: Protein tyrosine kinases (TKs) are overexpressed in many carcinomas and sarcomas. We studied the expression of the following TKs in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC): platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR), c-kit, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and a serine-threonine kinase, Akt. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor blocks from 44 consecutive patients with primary HNSCC and 5 specimens of benign pharyngeal and laryngeal mucosa were retrieved for immunohistochemical analysis. Of the specimens, 38 had enough material to stain for all 4 antibodies. The study included 21 pharyngeal (base of tongue, 14; tonsil, 6; soft palate, 1), 16 laryngeal, and 1 floor of the mouth carcinoma. All 4 kinases in the tumor samples were expressed highly (PDGFR, 95%-100%; EGFR, 38%-43%; c-kit, 50%-86%; p-Akt, 57%-81%), with EGFR, c-kit, and p-Akt significantly higher than in benign samples. None of the kinase expressions correlated with disease-free survival. The expression of the kinases raises the possibility of treatment of HNSCC by tyrosine and serine-threonine kinase inhibitors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Division of Head and Neck, Surgery, University of California, San Diego, CA 92161, USA.
authors.forename: Weg M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Ongkeko
authors.forename: Xabier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Altuna
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Weisman
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang-Rodriguez
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018307:Neoplasms, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000096:biosynthesis; D017479:Receptors, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit; D017479:Receptors, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; C494918:AKT1 protein, human; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt