title: Nucleostemin expression in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study presents initial data on presence of nucleostemin--a nucleolar protein typical of stem cells in the normal squamous epithelium of the oropharynx and larynx - in squamous cell carcinoma originating from these epithelia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Differentiation and proliferation markers such as keratins, beta-catenin, galectin-1, and Ki-67 were studied in parallel with nucleostemin for defining cell characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nucleostemin was detected in nucleoli of both proliferating basal cells and terminally differentiated suprabasal cells of normal epithelium and in tumor cells. Importantly, malignant transformation was connected with a significant enlargement of nucleostemin-positive nucleoli in these cell types.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Detection of nucleostemin in head and neck cancer cells, together with the size of nucleoli, may be important in the evaluation of tumor differentiation and biology.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Anatomy and Head and Neck Surgery, First Faculty of Medicine, Second Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Zdenek
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Cada
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Boucek
authors.forename: Barbora
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dvoranková
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chovanec
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Plzák
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kodets
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Betka
authors.forename: Gian L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Pinot
authors.forename: Hans-Joachim
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Gabius
authors.forename: Karel
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Smetana
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002466:Cell Nucleolus / Q000378:metabolism; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007830:Larynx / Q000378:metabolism; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D009960:Oropharynx / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002352:Carrier Proteins; C469949:GNL3 protein, human; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins