title: Expression of epiregulin, a novel epidermal growth factor ligand associated with prognosis in human oral squamous cell carcinomas.
abstract: We examined the expression of epiregulin and amphiregulin mRNA in 39 oral SCCs, 2 epithelial dysplasias and 7 normal gingivae by real-time RT-PCR. The mean expression level of epiregulin mRNA was higher in oral SCCs (0.29+/-0.50) than normal gingivae (0.01+/-0.007) and epithelial dysplasias (0.01+/-0.001). The expression level of epiregulin mRNA was significantly higher in oral SCCs than normal gingivae (Mann-Whitney U test, P=0.023). Epiregulin mRNA was higher in stage III/IV than in stage I/II oral SCCs. However, a significant association was not found. The mean expression level of amphiregulin mRNA was higher in oral SCCs (0.18+/-0.24) than normal gingivae (0.002+/-0.003) and epithelial dysplasias (0.01+/-0.001). Amphiregulin mRNA was significantly higher in oral SCCs than normal gingivae (Mann-Whitney U test, P=0.001). We then examined the expression of four EGF receptor mRNA in oral SCCs. The expression levels of HER1, HER2, HER3 and HER4 mRNA in oral oral SCCs were increased compared to those in normal gingivae. A significant correlation was found between the mRNA expression levels of epiregulin and HER2, HER3 and HER4 (Spearman's correlation coefficient by rank test, P=0.031, P=0.004 and P=0.027, respectively). Patients with oral SCC that have a high expression of epiregulin had a significantly shorter survival than those with low a expression (log-rank test, P<0.05). These results indicate that human epiregulin is closely linked to the increased or abnormal cell proliferation in human oral SCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Division of Cervico-Gnathostomatology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan. shige@hiroshima-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shigeishi
authors.forename: Koichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Higashikawa
authors.forename: Misato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hiraoka
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fujimoto
authors.forename: Yoshitsugu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Mitani
authors.forename: Kouji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohta
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takechi
authors.forename: Nobuyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kamata
mesh_terms: D066258:Amphiregulin; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D066255:EGF Family of Proteins; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000235:genetics*; D066260:Epiregulin; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000502:physiology*; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008024:Ligands; D008297:Male; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D011485:Protein Binding; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: C587848:AREG protein, human; D066258:Amphiregulin; D066255:EGF Family of Proteins; C587880:EREG protein, human; D066260:Epiregulin; D006023:Glycoproteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008024:Ligands; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D066246:ErbB Receptors