title: Heparanase, a potential marker for premalignant oral cavity cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In the past we have shown that the heparanase gene expression significantly correlates to oral cancer patient survival. Our aim was to study heparanase expression in all stages of carcinogenesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Heparanase expression (mRNA and protein), as well as its enzymatic activity were studied separately in the nucleus and cytoplasm of both normal and cancerous cells using an in vivo oral cancer mouse model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Heparanase nuclear expression was associated with normal tissue; at the time carcinogenesis is initiated heparanase translocates to the cytoplasm and increases protein expression and enzymatic activity, as the cancer progresses. Heparanase overall expression is increased in cancer formation from premalignant to invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Heparanase is suggested to be a prognostic and diagnostic marker for oral premalignant lesions which could have a major impact on future prognosis and diagnosis of SCC of the oral cavity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel The Laboratory for Oral Cancer Research, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel yleiser@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Yoav
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Leiser
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel The Laboratory for Oral Cancer Research, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Dekel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shilo
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel The Laboratory for Oral Cancer Research, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Imad
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Abu El Naaj
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel The Laboratory for Oral Cancer Research, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa, Israel.
authors.forename: Adi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rachmiel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D001706:Biopsy; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D015870:Gene Expression; D005966:Glucuronidase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D011230:Precancerous Conditions; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D047368:Tumor Burden; D000099175:Heparanase
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D005966:Glucuronidase; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000099175:Heparanase
keywords: 4NQO; Heparanase; cancer model; enzymatic activity; heparan sulfate; in vivo; localization; nuclear; staining