Expression status of Zic family member 2 as a prognostic marker for oral squamous cell carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the involvement of ZIC2 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).


METHODS
ZIC2 mRNA and protein expression in primary OSCCs (n = 74), oral premalignant lesions (OPLs, n = 20) and five OSCC-derived cell lines (HSC-2, HSC-3, OK-92, H1, and Sa3) were analyzed by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, Western blot and immunohistochemistry (IHC). In addition, we evaluated the correlation between ZIC2 IHC scores in OSCCs and the clinicopathologic status.


RESULTS
Significant up-regulation of ZIC2 was detected in OSCC-derived cell lines (P < 0.05), primary OSCCs (P < 0.05) and OPLs (P < 0.05) compared with normal counterparts. Among the clinical variables analyzed, ZIC2 expression was associated with the histopathologic types of OSCC. Furthermore, the survival rates differed significantly between ZIC2-positive cases and ZIC2-negative cases.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggested that ZIC2 expression is correlated with the differentiation type of OSCC and diagnosis and might be a potential prognostic indicator and therapeutic target for OSCCs.
Department of Clinical Molecular Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8670, Japan.
Kentaro
K
Sakuma
Atsushi
A
Kasamatsu
Masanobu
M
Yamatoji
Yukio
Y
Yamano
Kazuaki
K
Fushimi
Manabu
M
Iyoda
Kenji
K
Ogoshi
Keiji
K
Shinozuka
Katsunori
K
Ogawara
Masashi
M
Shiiba
Hideki
H
Tanzawa
Katsuhiro
K
Uzawa
D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; C491812:ZIC2 protein, human