title: Bone morphogenetic protein-2/4 and bone morphogenetic protein receptor type IA expression in metastatic and nonmetastatic oral squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study aimed to analyze the expression of bone morphogenetic protein-2/4 (BMP-2/4) and its receptor BMPR-IA (BMP receptor type IA) in metastatic and nonmetastatic oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and its implications for disease prognosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The experimental group included 16 cases of OSCC without metastasis and 7 cases of OSCC with metastasis. The presence or absence of nodal metastasis was used as a parameter for the evaluation of disease prognosis. Ten cases of oral fibroepithelial hyperplasia were selected as the control group. The expression of BMP-2/4 and BMPR-IA was analyzed by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the experimental group with metastasis, strong expression of BMP-2/4 was observed in most cases (71.4%), whereas BMPR-IA exhibited weak expression (85.7%). In the experimental group without metastasis, there was strong expression of BMP-2/4 (62.5%) and BMPR-IA (100%). A significant association was observed between the prognosis of OSCC and the intensity of BMP-2/4 staining (P = .002). Weak immunoreactivity to BMP-2/4 and BMPR-IA was observed in all control specimens.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest that strong expression of BMP-2/4, associated with low expression of BMPR-IA, observed in metastatic OSCC has a prognostic value, with the loss of responsiveness to BMPs through the loss of expression of their receptors being indicative of the development of metastasis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Dentistry School, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal/RN, Brazil.
authors.forename: Andréa Ferreira
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Ruth Lopes de Freitas
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Xavier
authors.forename: Márcia Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: da Costa Miguel
authors.forename: Lélia Batista
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: de Souza
authors.forename: Leão Pereira
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Pinto
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis; D055415:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D052005:Bone Morphogenetic Protein Receptors, Type I / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D055415:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4; D052005:Bone Morphogenetic Protein Receptors, Type I