Nuclear hBD-1 accumulation in malignant salivary gland tumours.
BACKGROUND
Whereas the antimicrobial peptides hBD-2 and -3 are related to inflammation, the constitutively expressed hBD-1 might function as 8p tumour suppressor gene and thus play a key role in control of transcription and induction of apoptosis in malignant epithelial tumours. Therefore this study was conducted to characterise proteins involved in cell cycle control and host defence in different benign and malignant salivary gland tumours in comparison with healthy salivary gland tissue.


METHODS
21 paraffin-embedded tissue samples of benign (n = 7), and malignant (n = 7) salivary gland tumours as well as healthy (n = 7) salivary glands were examined immunohistochemically for the expression of p53, bcl-2, and hBD-1, -2, -3.


RESULTS
HBD-1 was distributed in the cytoplasm of healthy salivary glands and benign salivary gland tumours but seems to migrate into the nucleus of malignant salivary gland tumours. Pleomorphic adenomas showed cytoplasmic as well as weak nuclear hBD-1 staining.


CONCLUSIONS
HBD-1, 2 and 3 are traceable in healthy salivary gland tissue as well as in benign and malignant salivary gland tumours. As hBD-1 is shifted from the cytoplasm to the nucleus in malignant salivary gland tumours, we hypothesize that it might play a role in the oncogenesis of these tumours. In pleomorphic adenomas hBD-1 might be connected to their biologic behaviour of recurrence and malignant transformation.
Department of Oral & Maxillofacial Plastic Surgery, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany. m.wenghoefer@gmx.de
M
M
Wenghoefer
A
A
Pantelis
H
H
Dommisch
W
W
Götz
R
R
Reich
S
S
Bergé
M
M
Martini
J P
JP
Allam
S
S
Jepsen
S
S
Merkelbach-Bruse
H P
HP
Fischer
N
N
Novak
J
J
Winter
D008949:Adenoma, Pleomorphic / Q000378:metabolism; D003528:Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism*; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism; D023083:beta-Defensins / Q000378:metabolism*
C406407:DEFB1 protein, human; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D023083:beta-Defensins