title: Overexpression of osteopontin and integrin αv in laryngeal and hypopharyngeal carcinomas associated with differentiation and metastasis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Osteopontin (OPN) is a secreted phosphoprotein, which functions as a cell attachment protein and cytokine that signals through two cell adhesion molecules, integrin αvβ3 and CD44, to regulate cancer growth and metastasis. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of OPN and integrin αv (ITGAV, main receptor of the OPN) in laryngeal and hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LHSCC) and correlate the expression quantity with tumor biological behavior.
  
  
  METHODS
  We have made a tissue microarray of LHSCC and detected the OPN and ITGAV expression by immunohistochemistry in the microarray. The expression quantity of OPN and ITGAV was determined by a professional pathological image processing software (Image-Pro plus 5.02), and the clinical significances of the expression quantity in LHSCC were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression quantity of OPN and ITGAV in primary and metastatic carcinomas is significantly higher than in normal tissues. The expression of OPN and ITGAV in the well-differentiated group is significantly lower than in moderately and poorly differentiated group; the expression quantity of OPN and ITGAV in group with lymph node metastasis is significantly higher than in group without lymph node metastasis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expression of OPN and ITGAV was significantly influenced to the differentiation and metastasis of the LHSCC. Overexpression of the OPN and ITGAV may have contributed to invasion and metastasis of the LHSCC, and therefore, OPN and ITGAV may have value as a target for chemotherapy in LHSCC treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, No. 246, Xue Fu Road, Harbin City 150081, People's Republic of China. entxl@yahoo.cn
authors.forename: Jian Guang
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xuan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Kan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D039564:Integrin alphaV / Q000378:metabolism*; D007822:Laryngeal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D053495:Osteopontin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D039564:Integrin alphaV; D053495:Osteopontin