title: Molecular and phenotypic expression of decorin as modulator of angiogenesis in human potentially malignant oral lesions and oral squamous cell carcinomas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Decorin is an extracellular matrix, multifunctional small proteoglycan molecule in tumor stroma that has been shown to be modulator of angiogenesis. No clinical data is available so far on decorin expression and survival outcome of oral cancer.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of the present study was to examine molecular and phenotypic expression of two angiogenesis modulators viz. decorin and vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) in human potentially malignant oral lesions (PMOLs) and oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) in relation to clinico-pathological variables and survival outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tissue biopsies were obtained from 72 PMOLs, 108 OSCC and 52 healthy controls. The PMOLs included cases of leukoplakias and oral submucous fibrosis. Immunohistochemistry was performed using antibodies against decorin, VEGF-A and CD-31. Messenger-ribonucleic acid (mRNA) expression was analyzed by using real-time polymerase chain reaction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cytoplasmic staining of decorin was observed in the basal layer of epithelium in 53 (73.61%) cases of PMOLs and in peritumoral stroma in 55 (50.92%) cases of OSCC. None of the cases showed nuclear expression of decorin. Decorin expression both at phenotypic and molecular level was found to be down-regulated from PMOLs to OSCC. Lymph node metastasis and reduced decorin expression independently correlated with overall survival in OSCC. VEGF-A expression had no significant impact on survival outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Micro vessel density and VEGF-A expression were significantly associated with reduced decorin expression in tumor stroma suggesting, decorin as angiogenic modulator in OSCC. Down-regulation of decorin expression and the presence of lymph node metastasis were adverse factor independently affecting overall survival in OSCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, King George's Medical University, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: Seema
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nayak
authors.forename: Madhu Mati
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Goel
authors.forename: Vikram
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bhatia
authors.forename: Saumya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chandra
authors.forename: Annu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Makker
authors.forename: Sandeep
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Satya Prakash
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Agrawal
authors.forename: Divya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mehrotra
authors.forename: Srikanta Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Rath
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001706:Biopsy; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D058575:Decorin / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005355:Fibrosis / Q000473:pathology; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007971:Leukoplakia / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016019:Survival Analysis; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: C546878:DCN protein, human; D058575:Decorin; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A