title: Expression of high mobility group A proteins in oral leukoplakia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Oral leukoplakia (LPL) is considered a potentially malignant disorder in the oral cavity and the gastric tract. High mobility group A (HMGA) proteins are important in the transformation of normal cells into cancer cells, but there is a lack of knowledge on their importance in oral cancer development. The aim of the current project was to investigate HMGA expression in LPLs with different levels of dysplasia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Biopsies were histologically processed to visualize the expression of HMGA1 and HMGA2 using immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An increase of HMGA1-positive cells correlating to the degree of dysplasia was registered in the epithelium and in the connective tissue. HMGA2 expression was seen in the epithelium and in the connective tissue but with no obvious correlation to the level of dysplasia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is, to our knowledge, the first study showing the expression of HMGA proteins in healthy and non-healthy oral mucosa.
authors.affiliation: Department of Periodontology, Institute of Odontology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, P.O. Box 450, SE40530 Gothenburg, Sweden. lena.larsson@odontologi.gu.se.
authors.forename: Lena
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Larsson
authors.forename: Fredrik
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jäwert
authors.forename: Bengt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Magnusson
authors.forename: Bengt
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hasséus
authors.forename: Göran
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kjeller
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D025741:HMGA1a Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D025742:HMGA1b Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D025743:HMGA2 Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007972:Leukoplakia, Oral / Q000378:metabolism*; D009061:Mouth Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D025743:HMGA2 Protein; D025742:HMGA1b Protein; D025741:HMGA1a Protein
keywords: HMGA; Leukoplakia; oral cancer