Oral carcinoma with perineural invasion has higher nerve growth factor expression and worse prognosis.

BACKGROUND: This study elucidated the association between histopathological factors and the prognosis of oral carcinoma. As the histopathological factors were determined from the surgical specimen and this can only be used for the choices of postoperative regimens, this study also investigated the linkage between prognostic factors and the expression of key molecules to examine the feasibility of markers as predictors. METHODS: Clinicopathological factors of 101 oral carcinomas were cross-analyzed with disease-free survival. The expression of nerve growth factor (NGF) and its receptor, tyrosine kinase A receptor, was assayed with immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Nodal metastasis was the most crucial clinical predictor for disease-free survival. Perineural invasion (PNI) was an independent histopathological predictor for both nodal metastasis (P = 0.004) and disease-free survival (P = 0.019). Patients with advanced tumor and PNI exhibited the high hazard for tumor progression and poor disease-free survival. NGF immunoreactivity in tumors was correlated with PNI (P = 0.005) and neck lymph node metastasis (P = 0.036). CONCLUSION: Perineural invasion is the indicator of worst prognosis. As NGF immunoreactivity was found to be associated with PNI and nodal metastasis, the NGF immunoreactivity of oral carcinoma revealed by diagnostic biopsy suggests that alternative therapeutic approaches might be appropriate.

Increase of microRNA miR-31 level in plasma could be a potential marker of oral cancer.

BACKGROUNDS: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a worldwide disease. MicroRNAs are endogenously expressed non-coding RNAs that have important biological and pathological functions. miR-31 was found markedly up-regulated in OSCC and several other malignancies. However, miR-31 expression was also down-regulated in the metastasis process of breast carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using quantitative RT-PCR analysis, we identified plasma miR-31 in OSCC patients (n = 43) and case controlled individuals (n = 21). Nine OSCC patients saliva were also analyzed. The Mann-Whitney test and Wilcoxon matched pairs test were used to compare the differences among the various clinical variants. RESULTS: miR-31 in plasma was significantly elevated in OSCC patients relative to age and sex-matched control individuals. This marker yielded a receiver operating characteristic curve area of 0.82 and an accuracy of 0.72 defined by leave-one-out cross-validation. In addition, the plasma miR-31 in patients was remarkably reduced after tumor resection suggesting that this marker is tumor associated. Our preliminary analysis also demonstrated the feasibility of detecting the increase of miR-31 in patient's saliva. CONCLUSION: This study concluded that plasma miR-31 could be validated a marker of OSCC for diagnostic uses.

miR-146a induces differentiation of periodontal ligament cells.

Differentiation of periodontal ligament (PDL) cells occurs under specific induction; furthermore, NF-kappaB signaling is important for regulation of bone differentiation. MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that repress the translation of target genes and modulate cellular processes. miR-146a has been reported to modulate NF-kappaB signaling. This study hypothesized that miR-146a has a regulatory role in PDL differentiation by affecting NF-kappaB signaling. Immortalized PDL (I-PDL) cell lines were established by exogenous telomerase expression. The genesis of alkaline phosphatase and the up-regulation of miR-146a were induced by ascorbic acid in the I-PDL cells and primary PDL cells. I-PDL cells with exogenous miR-146a expression showed attenuation of NF-kappaB activity and exhibited higher differentiation relative to the controls. Exogenous NF-kappaB expression decreased the expression of differentiation markers, while the inactivation of endogenous NF-kappaB increased alkaline phosphatase in I-PDL cells. This study concludes that miR-146a promotes the differentiation in PDL cells through the down-regulation of NF-kappaB signaling.

Areca-treated fibroblasts enhance tumorigenesis of oral epithelial cells.

Several hundred million Asians chew areca nut, which is strongly associated with oral carcinogenesis in people of this region. The impacts of areca nut extract on oral target cells are largely unclear. This study hypothesized an inductive role for areca-nut-exposed stromal cells in the progression of oral carcinomas in an at-risk population. Oral fibroblasts with chronic subtoxic areca nut extract treatment exhibited growth arrest and MMP-2 activation. The supernatant of arrested oral fibroblasts activated the AKT signaling pathway in oral carcinoma cells. The enhancement of proliferation, migration, and anchorage-independent growth of oral carcinoma cells elicited by such supernatant could be abrogated by blockers against MMP-2 or AKT. Subcutaneous co-injection of arrested oral fibroblasts into nude mice significantly enhanced the tumorigenicity of xenographic oral carcinoma cells. This study concludes that areca nut extract may impair oral fibroblasts and then modulate the progression of oral epithelial oncogenesis via their secreted molecules.

Histopathological factors affecting nodal metastasis in tongue cancer: analysis of 94 patients in Taiwan.

The overall prognosis for tongue cancer patients in Taiwan is unpredictable, even when patients are treated following the guidelines according to TNM stages. In order to determine the optimal treatment modality for tongue cancer in Taiwan the authors aimed to correlate histopathological parameters with neck nodal metastasis. A retrospective analysis of 94 patients with different stages of tongue cancer treated in the Taipei Veterans General Hospital was performed. All 94 patients were clinically diagnosed with stage I-IV tongue cancer before surgery and received primary tumor-wide excision and neck dissection. There were 42 (45%) patients with nodal metastasis. Univariate analysis revealed that cases of tongue cancer with moderate or poor differentiation, an invasion depth more than 3mm and positive perineural invasion or lymphovascular permeation at the time of presentation may be subject to a higher incidence of neck nodal metastasis. An elective neck dissection or neck treatment should be considered if these histopathological risk factors are present. Cases of tongue cancer with these risk factors also warrant close follow-up after surgery.

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-5 enhances the migration and differentiation of gingival epithelial cells.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The objective was to define the roles of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-5 (IGFBP-5) in gingival epithelial cells (GEC). Human IGFBP-5 is expressed in many cell types and has diverse biological functions. It stimulates the growth of bone cells and is associated with the impedance of gingival fibroblast apoptosis. In gingival epithelium, IGFBP-5 is expressed in the cells of the differentiated stratum spinosum layer. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Recombinant IGFBP-5 protein treatment and knockdown of IGFBP-5 expression using a lentivirus-delivered short hairpin RNA was carried out in human GEC. Proliferation, apoptosis, anoikis, migration, differentiation and gene expression in GEC were analyzed and molecular images were obtained. RESULTS: The IGFBP-5 had no effect on proliferation, but it slightly suppressed apoptosis and anoikis of GEC. It also induced GEC migration and upregulated the expression of involucrin, transglutaminase-1, keratin and focal adhesion kinase. The IGFBP-5 induced migration partly via an insulin-like growth factor-independent mechanism. The knockdown of IGFBP-5 downregulated the expression of involucrin, transglutaminase-1 and focal adhesion kinase. CONCLUSION: Expression of IGFBP-5 in GEC is associated with anti-apoptosis, migration and differentiation of GEC. These phenotypic effects may be associated with focal adhesion kinase and are advantageous for re-epithelization of GEC and the maintenance of gingival health.

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-5 (IGFBP-5) suppresses the tumourigenesis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a global malignancy. The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signalling axis plays a critical role in tumourigenesis. This study defined the clinical and functional roles of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-5 (IGFBP-5) in HNSCC. Down-regulation of IGFBP-5 mRNA expression was found during the progression from pre-cancer to HNSCC. The down-regulation in HNSCC was associated with a higher propensity to nodal metastasis. SAS and OECM-1 are HNSCC cells that do, or do not, express IGFBP-5, respectively. Recombinant IGFBP-5 reduced the proliferation of OECM-1 cells and this was exerted mainly through blockade of the IGF pathways. Either IGFBP-5 or IGF-I treatment alone promoted OECM-1 migration, but a combination of treatments generated antagonistic effects. Overexpression of IGFBP-5 reduced the proliferation and anchorage-independent growth of both OECM-1 and SAS cells. Conversely, knockdown of IGFBP-5 expression significantly induced the proliferation and anchorage-independent growth of SAS cells. It also induced the growth of xenografted SAS tumours. SAS transfectants that expressed mutant or truncated IGFBP-5, which lack IGF binding activity, exhibited significantly lower anchorage-independent growth than vector control. This suggests that IGFBP-5 possesses an IGF-independent suppressor function. The suppressive effects of IGFBP-5 on the tumourigenesis of HNSCC might be invaluable to future neoplastic intervention.

Differential expression of E-cadherin in metastatic lesions comparing to primary oral squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: The main cause of treatment failure in resectable oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is metastasis. E-cadherin (E-cad) plays a principal role in cell adhesion and motility, and is associated with OSCC progression. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of E-cad expression in OSCC with lymph node metastasis which had radical neck dissection done. METHOD: Immunohistochemistry was used to detect E-cad expression in normal oral mucosa (NOM) (n = 10), oral precancerous lesions (OPLs) (n = 20), primary OSCC (n = 45), and their paired metastatic lesions (n = 45). E-cad immunoreactivity correlated with the clinicopathologic features. RESULTS: E-cadherin immunoreactivity was progressively reduced in the NOM followed by OPLs and primary OSCC (58%). It decreased significantly in the advanced stages of OSCC. However, the increase in E-cad immunoreactivity was observed in the majority (60%) of metastatic lesions in relation to primary OSCC. Patients with such increased or positive immunoreactivity of E-cad in metastatic lesions exhibited worse prognosis. CONCLUSION: The findings suggested a dynamic change in E-cad immunoreactivity during tumorigenesis and metastasis of OSCC. In a multivariate analysis, E-cad immunoreactivity in metastasis lesions (odds ratio 3.74, 95% CI 1.15-14.67; P = 0.040) implied the potential role of mortality predictors for OSCC cases with nodal involvement.

The functional (-1171 5A-->6A) polymorphisms of matrix metalloproteinase 3 gene as a risk factor for oral submucous fibrosis among male areca users.

BACKGROUND: Insertion/deletion (-1171 5A-->6A) polymorphisms in the promoter region of matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP3) gene result in different transcriptional activities. MMP3 is able to degrade collagens types II, V, IX, and X, and other extracellular matrix. The functional promoter polymorphism of MMP3 has been related to the susceptibility in some inflammatory diseases and metastasis of cancers. METHODS: Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) are prevalent among Asian areca users. In this study, genomic DNA obtained from the blood of OSCC (n = 150), OSF (n = 71), and control non-diseased areca user (n = 98) in male were subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based genotyping of MMP3. RESULTS: The 5A genotype in MMP3 promoter was observed more frequently in OSF group than in control group (P = 0.01). No significant difference was noted between OSCC and control groups on the 5A genotype frequency (P = 0.18). No association was found between 5A genotype in MMP3 promoter and site or lymph node metastasis and stage of OSCC. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that the 5A genotype of MMP3 promoter was associated with the risk of OSF but not OSCC.

Epithelioid sarcoma metastasis to the gingivae: a case report.

We present a rare case of oral metastatic epithelioid sarcoma rapidly growing over the mandibular gingivae; the primary lesion occurred on the wrist and was treated 18 months earlier by surgery and radiotherapy. The oral metastatic lesion was resected and controlled by chemotherapy. This case has been followed for 2 years with good control of the resected oral metastatic lesion. Histologically, round to oval-shaped tumour cells with abundant eosinophylic globular cytoplasm and eccentrically localized nuclei, lack of epithelial features by electron microscopic study, and the immunohistochemical and cytologic features of tumour cells led into the diagnosis of epithelioid sarcoma. To our knowledge, no reports have been published of its occurrence in the oral cavity

Aspergillosis of the temporomandibular joint following irradiation of the parotid region: a case report.

We report a case of aspergillosis in the right temporomandibular joint (TMJ) with a history of parotid carcinoma and post-irradiation otitis. Previous treatment attempts with surgery and antibiotics were unsuccessful. Radical debridement of the glenoid fossae, supplemented with amphotericin B and adjunct hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy, was provided to resolve the symptoms. This case report highlights the need to be aware of the possibility of invasive mycosis in immunocompromised patients.

Primary ectopic thyroid papillary carcinoma in the floor of the mouth and tongue: a case report.

We report a rare case of papillary carcinoma in the tongue and floor of the mouth with metastasis in cervical lymph nodes. Treatment was by total thyroidectomy with right radical lymph node dissection of the neck, followed by 60 Gy of radiotherapy and 100 mCi (131)I. Pathological examination of the thyroid gland showed no primary cancer. We review publications about ectopic thyroid and the value of antithyroglobulin immunostaining for diagnosis and treatment of the tumour.

In vitro cellular response of retinoic acid treated human oral cancer cell lines.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to identify the cellular response ofretinoic acid-treated human oral cancer cell lines. METHODS: Seven human oral cancer cell lines KB, SCC4, SCC9, SCC15, SCC25, OEC-M1, OC1 and OC2 were used for cell culture experiments. Direct cell number counting method was utilized to evaluate cellular response of these human oral cancer cells at the presence or absence of all-trans RA at 1 mM. RESULTS: Through 7-day observation, the cell population of SCC9, SCC15 and SCC25 of RA-treated groups decreased when compared with the non RA-treated groups. These three cell lines were further verified using [3H] thymidine incorporation DNA synthesis assay. KB, SCC4, OC1, OC2 and OEC-M1 cell lines did not show growth inhibition at the presence of RA at 1 mM. CONCLUSIONS: The molecular event of how SCC9, SCC15 and SCC25 are inhibited by RA and how KB, OC1, OC2 and OECM1 are resistant to RA can be further explored on the basis of this study.

Accumulation of mitochondrial DNA deletions in human oral tissues -- effects of betel quid chewing and oral cancer.

Accumulation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) mutations in human tissues has been associated with intrinsic aging and environmental insult. Recently, mtDNA mutations have been detected in various tumors, including head and neck tumors. However, the factors affecting the occurrence and accumulation of mtDNA deletions in tumor tissues are poorly understood. In Taiwan, betel quid chewing is a major risk factor for oral cancer. Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques, we examined large-scale deletions of mtDNA in 53 pairs of tumor and non-tumor oral tissues from the patients with or without betel quid chewing history. The results revealed that irrespective of the history of betel quid chewing, the incidences of the 4977bp deletion and other deletions of mtDNA were lower in the tumor portion as compared with the non-tumor portion. The average proportions of the 4977bp deleted mtDNA in the tumor tissues of the betel quid chewers and non-betel quid chewers were 13- and 5-fold, respectively, lower than those in the corresponding non-tumor tissues. Moreover, the average proportion of 4977bp deleted mtDNA was significantly higher (P<0.05) in the non-tumor oral tissues of the patients with betel quid chewing history than that of the patients without the history of betel quid chewing. These results suggest that betel quid chewing may increase mtDNA mutation in human oral tissues and that accumulation of mtDNA deletions and subsequent cytoplasmic segregation of these mutations during cell division could be an important contributor to the early phase of oral carcinogenesis.

p53-independent induction of apoptosis by the HTLV-I tax protein following UV irradiation.

Human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) encodes a transforming protein, Tax. Tax is a promiscuous viral transactivator involved in both cell growth and death control. We have previously shown that Tax sensitizes cells to apoptosis induced by DNA-damaging agents and this report further characterizes the Tax-mediated apoptosis pathway. We found that Tax-mediated apoptosis in response to UV irradiation was inhibited by Bcl-2 and Bcl-X(L) overexpression and by treatment with the caspase inhibitor z-VAd-FMK. Since Tax has been shown to functionally inactivate the apoptosis regulator p53, the effect of Tax on apoptosis in the absence of p53 was examined. In these studies, Tax sensitized p53-negative cells to apoptose, suggesting that Tax can mediate a p53-independent form of apoptosis. In addition, cells expressing both Tax and p53 displayed higher levels of apoptosis than cells expressing either protein alone, suggesting that the apoptosis-inducing activities of Tax and p53 are not completely overlapping. These observations demonstrate that Tax can utilize a p53-independent mechanism to induce apoptotic cell death following UV irradiation.

Suppression of DNA repair by HTLV type 1 Tax correlates with Tax trans-activation of proliferating cell nuclear antigen gene expression.

The human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) viral oncoprotein Tax acts as a transcriptional trans-activator affecting viral as well as cellular gene expression. To understand how Tax induces transformation, the consequences of its ability to alter expression of cellular genes must be examined. We have previously demonstrated that Tax activates expression of the cellular gene, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and that Tax suppresses DNA repair. In this study we tested the ability of previously described Tax mutants to activate PCNA gene expression and their ability to interfere with DNA repair. The results revealed a strong correlation between Tax trans-activation of PCNA gene expression and its ability to inhibit DNA repair via the nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway. Thus, a consequence of activated PCNA gene expression appears to be reduced DNA repair capacity. These effects of Tax are likely to play important roles in its transforming activity.

Suppression of DNA repair by human T cell leukemia virus type 1 Tax is rescued by a functional p53 signaling pathway.

The Tax protein of human T cell leukemia virus type 1 is a viral transactivator and transforming protein. Tax is known to suppress cellular nucleotide excision repair (NER), and this activity has been proposed to play an important role in Tax transformation. In this study we have investigated the mechanism by which Tax suppresses NER with specific focus on the previously characterized ability of Tax to inhibit p53 function. Suppression of NER by Tax was rescued by overexpression of wild-type p53; however, a p53 transactivation-incompetent mutant did not restore NER activity. The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21, a major transcriptional target of p53, plays an important role in regulating DNA replication and repair. Overexpression of p21 reversed Tax-induced suppression of NER; however, a p21 C-terminal mutant that lacks the proliferating cell nuclear antigen binding domain did not restore NER activity. Thus, p53 and its downstream effector p21 can inhibit Tax-mediated suppression of DNA repair. These results imply that the inactivation of p53 function by Tax contributes to Tax suppression of DNA repair.

Comparison of quantitative cytomegalovirus (CMV) PCR in plasma and CMV antigenemia assay: clinical utility of the prototype AMPLICOR CMV MONITOR test in transplant recipients.

The correlation between the prototype AMPLICOR CMV MONITOR test (Roche Molecular Systems), a quantitative PCR assay, and the cytomegalovirus (CMV) pp65 antigenemia assay was evaluated in transplant recipients. Sequential blood specimens were collected on 29 patients (491 specimens), the leukocyte fraction was tested by CMV antigenemia, and quantitative PCR was performed on plasma specimens. None of the 15 patients (242 specimens) who were antigenemia negative were positive for CMV DNA by PCR, and none of these patients developed active CMV disease. There were 14 antigenemia-positive patients, 8 of whom developed active CMV disease. In all patients, there was a good association between the antigenemia and PCR assays. Ganciclovir-resistant virus was isolated from three patients with active CMV disease. These three patients had persistently elevated levels of antigenemia and CMV DNA by PCR when resistance to ganciclovir developed. This standardized, quantitative CMV PCR assay on plasma has clinical utility for the diagnosis of active disease and in monitoring the response to antiviral therapy in transplant recipients.

HTLV-1 Tax protein sensitizes cells to apoptotic cell death induced by DNA damaging agents.

Transient HTLV-1 Tax expression suppresses cellular nucleotide excision repair, and this effect correlates with Tax transactivation of the proliferating cell nuclear antigen promoter. The inability to repair DNA damage typically induces apoptotic cell death. Therefore, we investigated the effect of Tax-mediated suppression of DNA repair on apoptosis in stable Tax-expressing cells. Constitutive Tax expression reduced cellular nucleotide excision repair activity compared with parental and control cells. Tax-expressing cells were also more sensitive to apoptosis induced by DNA damaging agents than control cells. Even though Tax-expressing cells displayed reduced DNA repair, they showed increased DNA replication following UV damage. These results suggest that Tax suppresses the cell's ability to repair DNA damage and stimulates DNA replication even in the presence of damage. The inability to repair DNA damage is likely to stimulate apoptotic cell death in the majority of Tax-expressing cells while the ability to promote DNA replication may also allow the survival of a small population of cells. We propose that together these effects contribute to the monoclonal nature and low efficiency of HTLV-1 transformation.