title: A role for the substance P/NK-1 receptor complex in cell proliferation in oral squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the presence and distribution of substance P (SP) and neurokinin 1 receptor (NK-1R) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and their relationship with proliferation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety OSCCs from 73 patients were immunohistochemically analyzed using monoclonal antibodies against SP, NK-1R and Ki-67 in a case and control study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-one percent (n=49) of cases expressed SP on tumour cell membrane, 81.3% (n=69) in cytoplasm, 39.4% (n=28) in nucleus, 81.6% (n=71) in infiltrating lymphocytes, and 58.1% (n=43) in peritumoural or intratumoural blood vessels; 14% (n=12) of cases expressed NK-1R on tumour cell membrane, 50% (n=43) in cytoplasm, 48.3% (n=42) in infiltrating lymphocytes and 22.5% (n=18) in tumour blood vessels. All cases expressed Ki-67, which was expressed in >25% of tumour cells in 79.8% of cases (n=63). Direct significant associations were observed in SP expression between different tissue levels (p<0.01), between SP and NK-1R tumour cell membrane expression (p<0.01), and between joint SP and NK-1R expression in tumour cell cytoplasm and a higher expression of Ki-67 (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ubiquitous presence of SP strongly suggests a role for SP/NK-1R complex in tumour development and progression and possibly for NK-1R antagonists, such as L-773060, in the management of patients with oral cancer.
authors.affiliation: Oral Medicine Department, School of Dentistry, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sylvie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brener
authors.forename: Miguel Angel
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: González-Moles
authors.forename: Denise
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tostes
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Esteban
authors.forename: Jose Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Gil-Montoya
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ruiz-Avila
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bravo
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muñoz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D018040:Receptors, Neurokinin-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D013373:Substance P / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018040:Receptors, Neurokinin-1; D013373:Substance P