Prognostic value of activated Akt expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Akt is a serine/threonine kinase that plays an important role in tumorigenesis and influences prognosis in several cancers. However, its importance in oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) has not been elucidated.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the association between the expression of activated Akt, clinicopathological factors, and E-cadherin, PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen), and VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) expression to verify the validity of Akt as a prognostic factor in OSCC.


METHODS
Phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt), E-cadherin, PCNA, and VEGF expression were assessed immunohistochemically in 84 OSCCs. The results were analysed in relation to clinicopathological factors.


RESULTS
p-Akt was expressed in 29 cases. It was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, and E-cadherin expression. Univariate analysis showed that p-Akt expression, E-cadherin expression, PCNA expression, differentiation, tumour size, lymph node metastasis, TNM stage, and recurrence correlated with prognosis. Multivariate analysis showed that p-Akt expression is an independent prognostic factor in patients with OSCC.


CONCLUSIONS
This study revealed that Akt activation is a significant prognostic indicator for OSCC and is correlated with E-cadherin expression. The inhibition of Akt is a possible molecular approach to the treatment of OSCC.
Lim
J
J
Department of Oral Pathology, Dental School, Dental Research Institute, Seoul National University, 28-2 Yongon-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-744, Korea.
Kim
J-H
JH
Paeng
J-Y
JY
Kim
M-J
MJ
Hong
S-D
SD
Lee
J-I
JI
Hong
S-P
SP
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011379:Prognosis; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism*; D016019:Survival Analysis; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015820:Cadherins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt