E-cadherin abnormalities resulting from CPG methylation promoter in metastatic and nonmetastatic oral cancer.
BACKGROUND
This study aims to compare the alterations in the methylation profiles of E-cadherin in oral cancer, especially in tumors with lowest metatastic potential.


METHODS
Nine oral verrucous carcinomas (VCs), 20 oral well-differentiated squamous cell carcinomas without lymph node involvement (SCC-pN0), and 17 with lymph node involvement (SCC-pN+) were analyzed using methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical expression of E-cadherin gene.


RESULTS
The immunohistochemical expression of E-cadherin in VC was significantly higher (p = .016) when compared with SCC-pN0 and SCC-pN+ groups. The E-cadherin gene methylation was not correlated with its abnormal immunohistochemical expression in VC and SCC-pN0. All tumors of the SCC-pN+ group with unmethylated E-cadherin gene showed significant loss of E-cadherin immunoexpression (p = .044).


CONCLUSIONS
The E-cadherin gene methylation presence in tumors with lowest invasive and metastatic potential, such as VC, suggests the early involvement of this epigenetic event in the multistep progression of the oral carcinogenesis.
Department of Stomatology, Area of Pathology, Bauru School of Dentistry, University of São Paulo, Al. Dr. Octavio Pinheiro Brizolla, 9-75, 17012-901, Bauru, São Paulo, Brazil.
Renato Vieira
RV
de Moraes
Denise Tostes
DT
Oliveira
Gilles
G
Landman
Fabrício
F
de Carvalho
Otávia
O
Caballero
Suely
S
Nonogaki
Inês
I
Nishimoto
Luis Paulo
LP
Kowalski
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics; D018289:Carcinoma, Verrucous / Q000235:genetics; D018899:CpG Islands / Q000235:genetics*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction
D015820:Cadherins