title: [Expression of osteopontin mRNA in oral squamous cell carcinoma and normal oral mucosa].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate osteopontin (OPN) mRNA expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and normal oral mucosa tissues.
  
  
  METHODS
  Differential OPN gene expression were detected in 30 cancerous tissues and their paired normal tissues using real-time reverse transcription-PCR (real-time RT-PCR), and the data were analyzed statistically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Real-time RT-PCR results demonstrated that the relative expression level of OPN mRNA in the cancerous tissues were significantly higher than that in paired normal samples (4.17-/+0.51 vs 0.97-/+0.12, P<0.001), showing a 4.3-fold up-regulation. In the 30 OSCC specimens, OPN mRNA expression in the OSCC of histological grades I showed a 3.1-fold down-regulation, significantly lower than the expression in grade II/III tumors (2.16-/+0.17 vs 6.80-/+0.72, P<0.05); its expression was significantly lower in early stage than in advanced stage OSCCs (2.34-/+0.17 vs 4.73-/+0.35, P<0.05). In cases of cervical lymph node metastasis, the expression was significantly higher than that in cases without lymphatic metastasis (6.38-/+0.56 vs 2.89-/+0.32, P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OPN mRNA overexpression may play an important role in OSCC carcinogenesis and can be a potential target for OSCC therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Stomatology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China. lxzsurgeon@126.com
authors.forename: Xiao-zhi
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Xue-min
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.forename: Yuan-yong
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Li-qiong
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Wan-tao
authors.initials: WT
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Chen-ping
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D053495:Osteopontin / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D053495:Osteopontin