title: Immunoprofiling of oral squamous cell carcinomas reveals high p63 and survivin expression.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cancer is a multifactorial disease composed of cells that show somatic mutations and epigenetic changes. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of proteins involved in the development and maintenance of epithelia, cell cycle regulation, and apoptosis in human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) tissue samples.
  
  
  METHODS
  A tissue microarray containing 65 primary human OSCC specimens was immunolabeled for bcl-2, survivin, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), p21, p53, p63, and cleaved caspase-3.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Samples were scored for percentage of positively stained tumor cells and staining intensity. A total immunostaining score was also calculated, using the product of percentage and intensity scores. All specimens showed high scores, > 75%, for p63 and survivin, and 75.4% of the specimens also presented high EGFR expression. All cases showed p53-positive cells. p21 showed a diffuse staining pattern. The percentage of cells positive for cleaved caspase-3 and bcl-2 was low.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high frequency of tumor cells expressing p63 and survivin highlights the role of these proteins in the malignant transformation of oral epithelium. Collectively, our results suggest that p63 and survivin may constitute attractive targets for cancer therapy in patients with OSCC.
authors.affiliation: Oral Pathology, School of Dentistry, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Lauxen
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: P V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Rados
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Lingen
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Nör
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sant'ana Filho
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000077022:Survivin
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C107489:BIRC5 protein, human; C081876:CKAP4 protein, human; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D000077022:Survivin
keywords: apoptosis; cell cycle; diagnostic markers; oral squamous cell carcinoma; survival