title: Serum vitamin D levels of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and expression of vitamin D receptor in oral precancerous lesions and OSCC.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Resistance to programmed cell death (apoptosis) is a crucial factor for the carcinogenesis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Vitamin D (calcitriol) may overcome apoptosis resistance in tumor cells of OSCC. Vitamin D receptor (VDR) expression in oral precancerous lesions of OSCC has not been analyzed and serum vitamin D level seems to be a predictor of cancer development.
  
  
  METHODS
  Expression of VDR was analyzed in normal oral mucosa (n=5), oral precursor lesions (simple hyperplasia, n=11; squamous intraepithelial neoplasia, SIN I-III, n=35), and OSCC specimen (n=42) by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Moreover, serum vitamin D levels were measured by 25(OH)D3 (calcidiol) in patients with OSCC (n=42) and correlated with IHC results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Expression of VDR was significantly increased in precancerous and OSCC compared with normal tissue. Compared with SIN I-III lesions VDR expression significantly decreased in OSCC. Severe vitamin D deficiency was detected in our OSCC patient cohort but there was no significant correlation analyzed between serum vitamin D levels and corresponding immunohistochemically detected VDR expression in OSCC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our survey provides the first evidence of VDR expression in precancerous lesions of OSCC. Apoptosis induction of VDR+ cells in oral precancerous lesions and OSCC by natural vitamin D or synthetic vitamin D compounds could be useful for chemoprevention. Moreover, systemically and/or locally applied, these compounds may act as sensitizers for apoptosis mediated by radio-, and chemotherapy treatment in OSCC.
authors: Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University Hospital Tuebingen, Osianderstrasse 2-8, 72076, Tuebingen, Germany, dr.dr.martingrimm@googlemail.com.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Grimm
authors: Marcel
authors: M
authors: Cetindis
authors: Thorsten
authors: T
authors: Biegner
authors: Max
authors: M
authors: Lehman
authors: Adelheid
authors: A
authors: Munz
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Teriete
authors: Siegmar
authors: S
authors: Reinert
mesh_terms: D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000378:metabolism*; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol; D014807:Vitamin D