title: Clinical significance of apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain in oral squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC) expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and analyze its clinical and pathological significance.
  
  
  METHODS
  ASC expression was studied using immunohistochemistry in 119 OSCCs patients. The relationships between ASC expression and clinical and pathological parameters were statistically analyzed. In addition, the relationships between ASC expression and cell differentiation [IVL (involcrin) expression] and apoptosis (TUNEL [TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling] positive cell number) were investigated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ASC expression showed significant correlations with parameters including clinical tumor stage, mode of invasion, and histological differentiation, and had a significant impact on survival of OSCC. The distribution of ASC correlated well with that of IVL. ASC expression was significantly correlated with the TUNEL-positive cell number.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lower ASC expression correlates with clinical and pathological malignancy and, consequently, poor prognosis of OSCC. ASC has a close association with cell differentiation and apoptosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dentistry and Oral Surgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Asahi, Matsumoto, Japan. shimane@shinshu-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Tetsu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shimane
authors.forename: Hiroichi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Michiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takeoka
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kitazawa
authors.forename: Tomio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsumura
authors.forename: Shigeaki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hida
authors.forename: Tiepeng
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koike
authors.forename: Shun'ichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taniguchi
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kurita
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D053468:CARD Signaling Adaptor Proteins; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000378:metabolism*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D053468:CARD Signaling Adaptor Proteins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; C402202:PYCARD protein, human; D011498:Protein Precursors; C032253:involucrin