CASPASE EXPRESSION IN ORAL SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA

Author(s)

Coutinho-Camillo, Claudia Malheiros ^[1] ; Lourenco, Silvia Vanessa ^[2] ; Nishimoto, Ines Nobuko ^[3] ; Kowalski, Luiz Paulo ^[3] ; Soares, Fernando Augusto ^{[1, 2]}

Affiliation

^[1] Hosp AC Camargo Fund Antonio Prudente, Dept Anat Pathol, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Dent, Dept Gen Pathol, Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Hosp AC Camargo Fund Antonio Prudente, Dept Otorhinolaryrigol & Head & Neck Surg, Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: HEAD AND NECK-JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENCES AND SPECIALTIES OF THE HEAD AND NECK; v. 33, n. 8, p. 1191-1198, AUG 2011.
• Web of Science Citations: 18

Abstract

Background. Apoptosis is a genetically programmed form of cell death, of which caspases are the central components. Methods. By tissue microarray of 229 cases of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), we analyzed the immunoexpression of caspases 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. Results. All proteins that we examined were expressed in primary OSCC samples. Caspases 8 and 9 were prominently expressed, and caspases 3, 6, 7, and 10 were occasionally expressed. Disease-free survival differed significantly between caspase 7 high-expressing and low-expressing patients, and our multivariate analysis suggested that expression of caspase 7 is an independent prognostic factor for patients with OSCC. Conclusion. This study suggests that caspases regulate the tumorigenesis of OSCC and that caspase 7 expression is a predictor of locoregional recurrence of OSCC. (C) 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 33: 1191-1198, 2011 (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 98/14335-2 - Antonio Prudente Cancer Research Center
• Grantee: Fernando Augusto Soares
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers - RIDC