title: Dickkopf (Dkk)-3 and β-catenin expressions increased in the transition from normal oral mucosal to oral squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: Dickkopf (Dkk)-3, an inhibitor of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, is reported as a potential tumor suppressor gene in many cancers. To gain a better comprehension of the mechanisms involved in the carcinogenesis of oral squamous epithelium, protein expression and localization of Dkk-3 and β-catenin was investigated in normal epithelium, dysplasias and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). An increase in β-catenin and Ki-67 expressions was observed from dysplasias to poorly differentiated SCC. Interestingly, an increase in Dkk-3 positive cells was also noted, which was correlated to the cancer progression step. A change in Dkk-3 localization during the transformation of normal oral epithelium to SCC was clearly observed. Dkk-3 was localized in the cell membrane in normal oral epithelium and in dysplasias, whereas that was localized in both cell membrane and cytoplasm in SCC. These results suggest that Dkk-3 is involved in the carcinogenesis of SCC with a distinct function from those in other cancers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology and Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama University, 2-5-1 Shikata-cho, Kita-ku, Okayama, Japan.
authors.forename: Masae
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Katase
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lefeuvre
authors.forename: Mehmet
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gunduz
authors.forename: Rosario Rivera
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Buery
authors.forename: Ryo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tamamura
authors.forename: Hidetsugu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsujigiwa
authors.forename: Hitoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nagatsuka
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D048708:Cell Growth Processes / Q000502:physiology; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D018925:Chemokines; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D018925:Chemokines; C498624:DKK3 protein, human; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin