title: Loss of expression of TGF-beta1, TbetaRI, and TbetaRII correlates with differentiation in human oral squamous cell carcinomas.
abstract: Despite advances in biological and molecular characteristics, the prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinomas is still very unfavourable and is based on the classical clinicopathological parameters. However, tumors with similar clinicopathological characteristics may differ dramatically in their clinical outcome. Thus, the identification of novel prognostic factors is necessary to improve prognostic and therapeutic approaches. Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) is a potent growth inhibitor of epithelial cell proliferation, thus, inactivation of TGF-beta1 signalling may play a role in cancer. The expression levels of TGF-beta1 and its type I and type II receptors (TbetaRI and TbetaRII) were assessed by immunohistochemical and Western blot analyses in 22 oral squamous cell carcinoma lesions, in their normal adjacent mucosa and in the squamous carcinoma cell lines FaDu and CAL27. Immunohistochemistry on 22 oral carcinomas and case-matched normal oral mucosae demonstrated that TGF-beta1, TbetaRI, and TbetaRII were intensively and homogeneously expressed in all normal epithelia. In contrast, TGF-beta1 and its receptors were significantly reduced in poorly (G3) differentiated tumors as compared to moderately (G2) and well differentiated (G1) lesions (p=2.8 x 10(-3), p=1.3 x 10(-3), p=2.8 x 10(-3) and p=1.3 x 10(-3), respectively). The progressive reduction of the expression levels was confirmed by Western blotting. The oral squamous carcinoma cell lines Cal27 and FaDu demonstrated a reduced and a lack of TbetaRI expression, respectively. A significant decrease of TbetaRII expression, as compared to Cal27 cells, was shown in FaDu cells. Thus, the decreased expression of TbetaRII combined with the absence of TbetaRI could account for the resistance of FaDu cells to the growth-inhibiting effect of TGF-beta1. TGF-beta1 and TGF-beta1 receptor expression significantly decreased as tumors became less differentiated and thus more aggressive, suggesting a functional role of these molecules in oral tumor progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology and Neurosciences, University G. d'Annunzio of Chieti-Pescara, Via di Vestini, Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mincione
authors.forename: Maria Carmela
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Di Marcantonio
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Artese
authors.forename: Giovina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vianale
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piccirelli
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piccirilli
authors.forename: Vittoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Perrotti
authors.forename: Corrado
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rubini
authors.forename: Adriano
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Piattelli
authors.forename: Raffaella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Muraro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000077293:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I; D000077294:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type II; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D000077293:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I; D000077294:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type II