title: Expression of Fas and Fas ligand in primary cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma in association with grade of tumor differentiation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of this study was to evaluate whether Fas (CD95) and Fas ligand (FasL) immunoreactivity in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) are correlated with grade of tumor differentiation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 31 cutaneous SCC specimens excised during 1997-2004 were collected from the four branch hospitals of the Catholic University of Korea. A tissue microarray technique was used for immunohistochemical staining. Expression of Fas and FasL was evaluated in correlation with the grade of tumor differentiation. Statistical analysis was performed using Fisher's exact test and exact trend test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six of 31 SCCs exhibited strong (+++) intensity for Fas immunostaining, and all of these were well differentiated. Five of 31 SCCs exhibited strong (+++) intensity for FasL staining; all of these were moderately or poorly differentiated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fas was expressed more strongly in well-differentiated SCCs than in poorly differentiated tumors. FasL was expressed more strongly in moderately and poorly differentiated tumors. These findings indicate that Fas and FasL play important roles in immune surveillance and grade of differentiation in SCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Young Bok
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Eun
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kyung Kim
authors.forename: Hyun Jeong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Baik Kee
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Young Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jin Woo
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Nam Jin
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Yong Gyu
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Shin Taek
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Oh
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C491901:FAS protein, human; C505661:FASLG protein, human; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D019014:fas Receptor