Use of real-time quantitative PCR to identify high expressed genes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell lines

ABSTRACT

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma(HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer among men in the developed world affecting the tongue, pharynx, larynx and oral cavity. HNSCC is thought to represent a multistep process whereby carcinogen exposure leads to genetic instability in the tissue and accumulation of specific genetic events, which result in dysregulation of proliferation, differentiation, and cell loss and the acquisition of invasive capacity. Despite therapeutic and diagnostic progress in oncology during the past decades, the prognosis of HNSCC remains poor. Thus it seems that finding a biological tumor markers which will increase the early diagnosis and treatment monitoring rates, is of paramount importance in respect to improving prognosis. In an effort to identify gene expression signatures that may serve as biomarkers, this study several genes were selected, such as H3,3A, S100A7, UCHL1, GSTP1, PAI-2, PLK, TGFbeta1 and bFGF, and used 7 HNSCC cell lines that were established various anatomical sites, and also 17 other cancer cell lines were used for control group using real-time quantitative RT-PCR and immunocytochemical analysis with a monoclonal antibody. In this study, S100A7 showed a clearly restricted occurrence in tongue originated cell line, and GSTP1 expression level in the pharynx originated cell line was very increased, relative to corresponding other cell lines. These results suggest that S100A7 and GSTP1 genes' expression can occur during tongue and pharynx originated head and neck tumorigenesis and that genetic change is an important driving force in the carcinogenesis process. This data indicate that S100A7 and GSTP1 expression pattern in HNSCC reflect both diagnostic clue and biological marker. And this is provides a foundation for the development of site-specific diagnostic strategies and treatments for HNSCC.