title: Evaluation of COX-2, EGFR, and p53 as biomarkers of non-dysplastic oral leukoplakias.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Identify candidate SEBs (surrogate endpoint biomarkers) for premalignant trends in head and neck mucosa.
  
  
  METHODS
  Study, by qPCR (quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction), the expression of COX-2, EGFR and p53 in 24 biopsies of non-dysplastic oral leukoplakia and contra-lateral normal-appearing mucosa.
  
  
  RESULTS
  COX-2 was up-regulated in leukoplakia (79.2%); whereas EGFR and p53 were up-regulated (p>0.05) in oral contra-lateral normal-appearing mucosa (60% and 46% respectively). Also, p53 expression was correlated with tobacco smoke habits and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient showed a positive linear correlation between p53 and EGFR mRNA expression levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  COX-2 would serve as SEB of oral leukoplakia. The results suggest that p53 appears to be one of the molecular targets of tobacco-related carcinogens in leukoplakia and that the co-expression of p53 and EGFR may play a role in this kind of oral pre-cancerous lesion. More detailed studies of EGFR and p53 should be continued in the future.
authors.affiliation: Medicine Department, University of La Coruña, La Coruña, Spain. smdiaz@udc.es
authors.forename: Silvia Maria Díaz
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Prado
authors.forename: José Luis López
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Cedrún
authors.forename: Ramón Luaces
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Rey
authors.forename: Vanessa Medina
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Villaamil
authors.forename: Augusto Alvarez
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: Manuel Valladares
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Ayerbes
authors.forename: Luis Antón
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Aparicio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001706:Biopsy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors