title: Levels of the EMT-related protein Snail/Slug are not correlated with p53/p63 in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The contribution of the E-cadherin transcriptional repressors Snail and Slug to invasion and metastasis has strengthened the evidence for the importance of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in carcinoma progression. However, to the best of our knowledge, no study has described the immunohistochemical staining of the EMT-related proteins Snail/Slug in skin tumors and the correlation between Snail/Slug and tumor suppressor p53/p63.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed immunohistological staining of Snail, Slug, E-cadherin, p53 and p63 in 20 archived specimens each of seborrheic keratosis (SK), actinic keratosis (AK) and squamous cell carcinoma in situ (SCCIS), and 53 specimens of cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). Fifteen normal skin (NS) specimens served as controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant negative correlations were observed between Snail and E-cadherin expression and between Slug and E-cadherin expression (Snail: R(2) = 0.5432, p < 0.01; Slug: R(2) = 0.4666, p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The staining intensities of Snail and Slug are associated with decreased E-cadherin staining in SCC and this may promote EMT. However, the staining intensities of p53 and p63 are not significantly correlated with the loss of E-cadherin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Hongxiang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Masakazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takahara
authors.forename: Lining
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.forename: Yating
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nakahara
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Uchi
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Moroi
authors.forename: Masutaka
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Furue
mesh_terms: D015820:Cadherins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000071250:Snail Family Transcription Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; C000604407:SNAI1 protein, human; D000071250:Snail Family Transcription Factors; C495901:TP53 protein, human; C115051:TP63 protein, human; D014157:Transcription Factors; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins