Immunohistochemical expression of E-cadherin and CD44v6 in squamous cell carcinomas of the lower lip and tongue.
This study analyzed the immunohistochemical expression of E-cadherin and CD44v6 in 15 squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) of lower lip and 15 SCCs of tongue in order to verify a possible association between these proteins and the anatomic location of the lesion, nodal metastasis and histological grading of malignancy. The pattern of expression and number of immunopositive cells were evaluated. The results were analyzed with the Fisher's exact test, Mann-Whitney test and Spearman's Correlation Coefficient (r). using the SPSS software 10.0 for Windows. Statistical significance was set at 5% determined for a p-value<0.05 for all tests. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in the pattern of expression and number of immunopositive cells for E-cadherin and CD44v6, regarding the anatomical location and nodal metastasis. For the histological grading, low score SCCs showed higher immunopositivity for E-cadherin and CD44v6, both for the pattern of expression and number of immunopositive cells (p<0.05). There was a negative correlation between the total score of malignancy and the pattern of expression and number of immunopositive cells for E-cadherin and CD44v6 (p<0.05). In conclusion, SCCs of the lower lip and tongue did not reveal significant differences in the expression of E-cadherin and CD44v6. The expression of these adhesion molecules revealed association only with tumor histological grading of malignancy. Therefore, these results suggest that E-cadherin and CD44v6 may not help elucidating the differences between the biological behavior of SCCs of the lower lip and tongue.
Cruz
Maria Carmen Fontoura Nogueira da
MC
Dental School, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brazil.
Pereira
Antonio Luiz Amaral
AL
Lopes
Fernanda Ferreira
FF
Nonaka
Cassiano Francisco Weege
CF
Silva
Raimunda Ribeiro da
RR
Freitas
Roseana de Almeida
Rde A
Souza
Lélia Batista de
LB
Pinto
Leão Pereira
LP
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015820:Cadherins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008048:Lip Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D014062:Tongue Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C112697:CD44v6 antigen; D015820:Cadherins; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors