Upregulation of heme oxygenase-1 in oral epithelial dysplasias.
The expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), stress-related enzyme, is induced in leukaemia and some cancer tissues, but relatively little is known about the differential pattern of HO-1 expression and proliferation in premalignant lesions of the epithelial oral mucosa. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether HO-1 expression and proliferation were increased in preneoplastic lesions compared to normal and oral cancer tissues. Immunohistochemical staining was used to examine the expression patterns of HO-1 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) in a series of normal mucosa and mild-to-severe cases of oral epithelial dysplasia (OED) and oral squamous cell carcinoma. Both HO-1 and PCNA are expressed in the basal cells of normal oral mucosa. In patients with OED and carcinoma in situ, immunostaining for PCNA and HO-1 was more intense, and gradually extended into the superficial layers of the mucosa. HO-1 and PCNA expression was correlated with the degree of epithelial dysplasia. Oral squamous cell carcinoma also showed elevated expression of HO-1, but this level was not higher than in severe OED or carcinoma in situ. These results suggest that the up-regulation of HO-1 in premalignant oral lesions is part of an early cytoprotection mechanism against carcinogenesis in the oral mucosa.
Lee
J
J
Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, College of Dentistry, Wonkwang University, Iksan, South Korea.
Lee
S-K
SK
Lee
B-U
BU
Lee
H-J
HJ
Cho
N-P
NP
Yoon
J-H
JH
Choi
H-R
HR
Lee
S-K
SK
Kim
E-C
EC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000201:enzymology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology; D019610:Cytoprotection / Q000502:physiology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000201:enzymology*; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology*; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000201:enzymology*; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015854:Up-Regulation
D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1