Expression and significance of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase in oral lichen planus and oral squamous cell cacinoma / 北京大学学报(医学版)

ABSTRACT

Objective:To assess the differences among the expressions of p38 mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPK),phospho-p38MAPK and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB)in oral lichen planus (OLP)and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC ).Methods:In the study,53 cases of OLP,45 of OSCC,and 18 controls were obtained and 4-μm-thick histological sections were prepared from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks.The expressions of p38MAPK,phospho-p38MAPK and NF-κB were detected by immunohistochemistry staining.Furthermore,the expressions of p38MAPK and phospho-p38MAPK were detected using Western blotting analyses in the fresh tissues from 1 1 cases of OLP,5 ca-ses of OSCC,and 7 cases of the controls.Results:p38MAPK was over-expressed in the lamina propria, but lowly expressed in the epithelium in OLP group.Phospho-p38MAPK was lower expressed in OLP group than in OSCC and control groups.NF-κB was found over-expressed in the lamina propria in OLP group.p38MAPK was found expressed in all the samples in the 3 groups.The expression of phospho-p38MAPK was observed in 8 (8/11)OLP samples,5 (5/5)OSCC samples and 4 (4/7)controls by Western blotting,but no significant differences were found within the 3 groups.Conclusion:p38MAPK can be detected in normal oral mucosa,OLP and OSCC.phospho-p38MAPK may be related to the onset and progression of OSCC.The role of p38MAPK in OLP is yet to be revealed.