Chromatin assembly factor-1 (CAF-1)-mediated regulation of cell proliferation and DNA repair: a link with the biological behaviour of squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue?
OBJECTIVE
Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the tongue shows aggressive behaviour and a poor prognosis. Clinicopathological parameters fail to provide reliable prognostic information, so the search continues for new molecular markers for this tumour. Chromatin assembly factor-1 (CAF-1) plays a major role in chromatin assembly during cell replication and DNA repair and has been proposed as a new proliferation marker. The aim of this study was to investigate its expression in SCC of the tongue.


RESULTS
The immunohistochemical expression of the p60 and p150 subunits of CAF-1 were evaluated in a series of SCCs of the tongue. The findings were correlated with the expression of proliferation cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and patients' clinicopathological and follow-up data. CAF-1/p60 was expressed in all the tumours, whereas CAF-1/p150 was down-regulated in a number of cases. Overexpression of CAF-1/p60 and down-regulation of CAF-1/p150 identified SCCs with poor outcome, in addition to the classical prognostic parameters.


CONCLUSIONS
Simultaneous CAF-1-mediated deregulation of cell proliferation and DNA repair takes place in aggressive SCC of the tongue. Therefore, the evaluation of CAF-1 expression may be a valuable tool for evaluation of the biological behaviour of these tumours. This may be relevant to the introduction of improved follow-up protocols and/or alternative therapeutic regimens.
Staibano
S
S
Department of Biomorphological and Functional Sciences, Federico II University, Pathology Section, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Naples, Italy. staibano@unina.it
Mignogna
C
C
Lo Muzio
L
L
Mascolo
M
M
Salvatore
G
G
Di Benedetto
M
M
Califano
L
L
Rubini
C
C
De Rosa
G
G
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004260:DNA Repair; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000502:physiology*; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D019085:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D015996:Survival Rate; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C489780:CNOT8 protein, human; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D014157:Transcription Factors