title: Comparison of PTCH1, COX-2, p53, and Ki-67 protein expression in basal cell carcinomas of nodular and superficial subtypes arising on the head and trunk.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is some evidence that basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) arising on different anatomic sites and developing to different histological subtypes differ in their pathophysiology. The expression of a number of proteins, including PTCH1, COX-2, p53, and Ki-67, is frequently altered in BCC development.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study sought to determine whether protein expression differs between BCCs at different anatomic sites and of different histological subtypes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Expression of PTCH1, COX-2, p53, and Ki-67 proteins was compared between: (i) BCCs arising on the head (n = 55) and trunk (n = 53), and (ii) nodular (n = 52) and superficial (n = 43) BCCs. The intensity of immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining (low, moderate, strong, very strong) for PTCH1 and COX-2 proteins was measured and the proportions of p53- and Ki-67-positive cells quantified.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of cells expressing Ki-67 was higher in tumor tissue than in non-malignant epidermis, whereas the opposite was found for PTCH1. The IHC staining intensity for PTCH1 was substantially greater in truncal BCCs than in BCCs on the head (odds ratio [OR] 3.82, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.63-8.96). The intensity of staining for PTCH1 was greater for superficial than for nodular BCCs (OR 3.70, 95% CI 1.53-8.97), and superficial BCCs showed a higher proportion of Ki-67-positive cells (OR 5.57, 95% CI 1.66-18.67).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These differences suggest that the pathophysiology of BCC differs between lesions on the head and trunk and between nodular and superficial subtypes, perhaps indicating differences in their etiology.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia. khalesi_mohammad@yahoo.com, mohammad.khalesi@qimrberghofer.edu.au, mohammad.khalesi@connect.qut.edu.au.|Department of Population Health, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Qld, Australia. khalesi_mohammad@yahoo.com, mohammad.khalesi@qimrberghofer.edu.au, mohammad.khalesi@connect.qut.edu.au.|NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Sun and Health (CRESH), Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia. khalesi_mohammad@yahoo.com, mohammad.khalesi@qimrberghofer.edu.au, mohammad.khalesi@connect.qut.edu.au.
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Khalesi
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Health, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Waterhouse
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Health, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.|NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Sun and Health (CRESH), Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.
authors.forename: David C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Whiteman
authors.affiliation: Skin Cancer College Australasia, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Johns
authors.affiliation: Mayne Medical School, School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.
authors.forename: Cliff
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rosendahl
authors.affiliation: Mayne Medical School, School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hackett
authors.affiliation: Queensland Brain Institute, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Pollak
authors.affiliation: NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Sun and Health (CRESH), Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.|University of the Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast, Qld, Australia.|Cancer Council Queensland, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Kimlin
authors.affiliation: Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.|Department of Population Health, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.
authors.forename: Elke
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hacker
authors.affiliation: Department of Population Health, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.|NHMRC Centre for Research Excellence in Sun and Health (CRESH), Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.
authors.forename: Rachel E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Neale
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000072081:Patched-1 Receptor / Q000032:analysis; D012867:Skin / Q000737:chemistry; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D060726:Torso; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; C000606236:PTCH1 protein, human; D000072081:Patched-1 Receptor; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human