title: Differential expression of fatty acid-binding proteins and pathological implications in the progression of tongue carcinoma.
abstract: Tongue carcinomas are common malignancies of the oral cavity. Understanding the molecular mechanisms behind the disease progression is a prerequisite for improving patient prognosis. Fatty acid-binding proteins (FABPs) are cytoplasmic lipid chaperones that affect cellular organization and energy production. Although their aberrant expression is involved in carcinoma progression, its role in the pathology of tongue carcinomas remains unclear. In the present study, the immunohistochemical expression of FABP4 and FABP5 in tongue carcinomas (n=58) and its involvement in the clinicopathological parameters were examined. Normal tongue epithelial cells expressed FABP5, an epidermal-type FABP, but not FABP4, an adipocyte-type FABP. The cytoplasmic staining of FABP5 was increased in carcinomas with advanced T-stage (P<0.05) and clinical stage (P<0.05). Ectopic expression of FABP4 was detected in almost all carcinomas, although its role in disease progression remains undetermined. Upregulation of FABP5 in the wounded skin of genetically normal mice indicated that microenvironmental tissue factors induce FABP5 expression. The results of the present study demonstrated the aberrant expression of FABP4 and FABP5 in tongue carcinomas and suggested the involvement of FABP5 in disease progression.
authors.affiliation: Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 2, Department of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Science, School of Dentistry, Meikai University, Sakado, Saitama 3500283;
authors.forename: Yoshito
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ohyama
authors.affiliation: Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 2, Department of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Science, School of Dentistry, Meikai University, Sakado, Saitama 3500283;
authors.forename: Yukihiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawamoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Dentistry at Tokyo, The Nippon Dental University, Tokyo 1028159;
authors.forename: Tadashige
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chiba
authors.affiliation: Division of Pathology, Department of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Science, School of Dentistry, Meikai University, Sakado, Saitama 3500283, Japan.
authors.forename: Kentaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kikuchi
authors.affiliation: Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery 2, Department of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Science, School of Dentistry, Meikai University, Sakado, Saitama 3500283;
authors.forename: Hideaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sakashita
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Dentistry at Tokyo, The Nippon Dental University, Tokyo 1028159;
authors.forename: Kazushi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Imai
keywords: fatty acid-binding protein; progression; tongue carcinoma