Interruption of nuclear localization of ATBF1 during the histopathologic progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
The AT-motif binding factor 1 (ATBF1) gene is frequently altered at the genetic level in several types of cancer, but its protein expression and subcellular localization have not been well studied in human cancers, including head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs).


METHODS
ATBF1 expression and localization were examined in 5 cell lines and 197 clinical specimens of HNSCC, and correlated with pathologic and clinical characteristics.


RESULTS
ATBF1 was predominantly localized in the nucleus of hyperplastic squamous epithelium. Whereas nuclear ATBF1 dramatically decreased in invasive tumors (p = .0012), cytoplasmic ATBF1 levels progressively increased from dysplasia to invasive tumors (p < .0001), and the increase correlated with poor survival. Reduced nuclear ATBF1 level was also detected in HNSCC cell lines.


CONCLUSIONS
Nuclear localization of ATBF1 is frequently interrupted in HNSCC, and the interruption is significantly associated with the progression of HNSCC. The cytoplasmic ATBF1 level could be useful for predicting patient survival.
Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA. xsun3@emory.edu
Xiaodong
X
Sun
Jie
J
Li
Gabriel
G
Sica
Song-Qing
SQ
Fan
Yuxiang
Y
Wang
Zhengjia
Z
Chen
Susan
S
Muller
Zhuo Georgia
ZG
Chen
Xiaoying
X
Fu
Xue-Yuan
XY
Dong
Peng
P
Guo
Dong M
DM
Shin
Jin-Tang
JT
Dong
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000502:physiology*; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000077195:Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck; D055815:Young Adult
D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; C071660:ZFHX3 protein, human