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ID 113585
Title Alternative
N-cadherin expression in head and neck cancer
Author
Nguyen, Phuong Thao Hiroshima University
Yoshida, Maki Hiroshima University
Kamata, Nobuyuki Hiroshima University
Ogawa, Ikuko Hiroshima University
Takata, Takashi Hiroshima University
Keywords
N-cadherin
E-cadherin
EMT
Invasion
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Content Type
Journal Article
Description
The loss of E-cadherin and the gain of N-cadherin expression are known as “cadherin switching”. Cadherin switching is a major hallmark of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). EMT is a crucial process in cancer progression, providing cancer cells with the ability to escape from the primary focus, to invade stromal tissues and to migrate to distant regions. Although down-regulation of E-cadherin is well known in various cancers, there are a few studies on N-cadherin expression in cancer. Here, therefore, we investigated whether N-cadherin expression was associated with the progression of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). First, we examined the expression of N-cadherin by immunohistochemistry and its correlation with clinico-pathological findings. High expression of N-cadherin was observed in 52 of 80 HNSCC cases and was significantly correlated with malignant behaviors. Next, we examined the correlation between N-cadherin and E-cadherin. Cadherin switching (high expression of N-cadherin and low expression of E-cadherin) was found in 30 of 80 HNSCC cases and was well correlated with histological differentiation, pattern of invasion and lymph node metastasis in HNSCC cases. Moreover, we examined the expression of N-cadherin and E-cadherin by RT-PCR in 16 HNSCC cell lines to confirm the immunohistochemical findings. N-cadherin expression was observed in 7 of 16 HNSCC cells, and cadherin switching was observed in 2 HNSCC cells. Interestingly, HNSCC cells with cadherin switching have EMT features. In conclusion, we suggest that i) N-cadherin may play an important role in malignant behaviors of HNSCC, and ii) cadherin switching might be considered as a discrete critical event in EMT and metastatic potential of HNSCC.
Journal Title
Histology and Histopathology
ISSN
16995848
02133911
NCID
AA10688044
Publisher
University of Murcia
Volume
26
Issue
2
Start Page
147
End Page
156
Published Date
2010-12-13
EDB ID
DOI (Published Version)
URL ( Publisher's Version )
FullText File
language
eng
TextVersion
Publisher
departments
Oral Sciences