Increased survivin expression in high-grade oral squamous cell carcinoma: a study in Indian tobacco chewers.
BACKGROUND
Oral cancer is one of the five leading sites of cancer in the Indian population. In the present study we analyzed the expression of apoptosis regulating genes, viz. survivin, Bcl-2, Bax and p53 in precancerous and cancerous lesions of the buccal mucosa of Indian tobacco chewers.


METHODS
Paraffin-embedded tissue samples from 38 patients with primary oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and 17 patients with leukoplakia were used. The expression of survivin, Bcl-2, Bax, and p53 was evaluated using immunohistochemical staining method.


RESULTS
Thirty-six percent OSCC were found to be positive for nuclear p53 staining while none of the precancerous lesions showed p53 positivity. Survivin, Bcl-2 and Bax expression was found to increase with increased grade of malignancy. Increase in survivin expression was statistically most significant (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Increased expression of anti-apoptotic survivin in high-grade tumors suggests that survivin is likely to contribute significantly to apoptosis resistance in response to therapy.
Jane
C
C
Department of Biochemistry, T N Medical College, B Y L Nair Hospital, Mumbai.
Nerurkar
A V
AV
Shirsat
N V
NV
Deshpande
R B
RB
Amrapurkar
A D
AD
Karjodkar
F R
FR
D000328:Adult; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D008297:Male; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000737:chemistry; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000737:chemistry; D000077022:Survivin; D014030:Tobacco, Smokeless / Q000009:adverse effects*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000032:analysis
C107489:BIRC5 protein, human; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D000077022:Survivin; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein