Published in:
01-11-2009 | Original Paper
Characterization of intracellular superoxide dismutase alterations in premalignant and malignant lesions of the oral cavity: correlation with lymph node metastasis
Authors:
Hidetaka Yokoe, Hitomi Nomura, Yukio Yamano, Kazuaki Fushimi, Yosuke Sakamoto, Katsunori Ogawara, Masashi Shiiba, Hiroki Bukawa, Katsuhiro Uzawa, Yuichi Takiguchi, Hideki Tanzawa
Published in:
Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology
|
Issue 11/2009
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Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to characterize changes in the expression of copper–zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn-SOD) and manganese SOD (Mn-SOD) in oral squamous-cell carcinoma (OSCC).
Methods
Real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis of Cu/Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD mRNA expression was carried out in 50 pairs of OSCC tissue specimens and corresponding normal tissues. Mn-SOD protein expression was evaluated further in 65 OSCC tissue samples and 33 oral premalignant lesions (OPLs) using immunohistochemistry.
Results
Significant (P < 0.001) upregulation of Mn-SOD mRNA expression was observed in OSCC tissues compared with the normal tissue counterparts, whereas no significant difference was detected in Cu/Zn-SOD expression. Significant increases in Mn-SOD protein expression were seen in both OPLs (P < 0.001) and OSCC tissue (P < 0.001) together with a high incidence of lymph node metastasis (P = 0.04).
Conclusions
Our findings suggested that Mn-SOD overexpression is a frequent and early event during oral carcinogenesis and could contribute to aggressive OSCC.