title: The Akt/mTOR pathway is activated in verrucous carcinoma of the oral cavity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Akt/mTOR pathway is activated in many malignancies, including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). However, the role of the Akt/mTOR pathway in oral verrucous carcinoma (OVC), a low-grade variant of OSCC, remains unknown. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the activation level of important markers of the Akt/mTOR pathway in OVC and to compare the results with OSCC samples.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression of p-Akt (Thr308), p-Akt (Ser473), and p-RPS6 was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in 30 OSCC cases, 18 OVC cases, and 30 control cases (normal epithelium overlying fibromas). Statistical analysis was performed to determine the differences in protein expression between samples.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All OVC cases were positive for p-Akt (Thr308), p-Akt (Ser473), and p-RPS6. There were significant differences in expression level of all studied proteins between OVC and control, as well as between OVC and OSCC. However, OVC showed significant lower staining scores than OSCC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings demonstrate that the Akt/mTOR pathway is upregulated in OVC, indicating a role for this pathway in the development and progression of this malignancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Developing Research Unit of Prevention and Therapy of Oral Cancers and Neoplasms by Herbal Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Risa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chaisuparat
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Seehachart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Limpiwatana
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Sanida
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kongpanitkul
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral Pathology, Developing Research Unit of Prevention and Therapy of Oral Cancers and Neoplasms by Herbal Medicine, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Somchai
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yodsanga
authors.affiliation: College of Dental Medicine-Illinois, Midwestern University, Downers Grove, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Bruno C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Jham
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018289:Carcinoma, Verrucous / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005350:Fibroma / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009062:Mouth Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism*; D038601:Ribosomal Protein S6 / Q000378:metabolism; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D038601:Ribosomal Protein S6; C546842:MTOR protein, human; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases
keywords: Akt; mTOR; ribosomal protein S6; squamous cell carcinoma; verrucous carcinoma