Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 32 in total

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  1. Prime SS, Cirillo N, Hassona Y, Lambert DW, Paterson IC, Mellone M, et al.
    J Oral Pathol Med, 2017 Feb;46(2):82-88.
    PMID: 27237745 DOI: 10.1111/jop.12456
    There is now compelling evidence that the tumour stroma plays an important role in the pathogenesis of cancers of epithelial origin. The pre-eminent cell type of the stroma is carcinoma-associated fibroblasts. These cells demonstrate remarkable heterogeneity with activation and senescence being common stress responses. In this review, we summarise the part that these cells play in cancer, particularly oral cancer, and present evidence to show that activation and senescence reflect a unified programme of fibroblast differentiation. We report advances concerning the senescent fibroblast metabolome, mechanisms of gene regulation in these cells and ways in which epithelial cell adhesion is dysregulated by the fibroblast secretome. We suggest that the identification of fibroblast stress responses may be a valuable diagnostic tool in the determination of tumour behaviour and patient outcome. Further, the fact that stromal fibroblasts are a genetically stable diploid cell population suggests that they may be ideal therapeutic targets and early work in this context is encouraging.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mouth Neoplasms/metabolism
  2. Melling GE, Flannery SE, Abidin SA, Clemmens H, Prajapati P, Hinsley EE, et al.
    Carcinogenesis, 2018 05 28;39(6):798-807.
    PMID: 29506142 DOI: 10.1093/carcin/bgy032
    The dissemination of cancer cells to local and distant sites depends on a complex and poorly understood interplay between malignant cells and the cellular and non-cellular components surrounding them, collectively termed the tumour microenvironment. One of the most abundant cell types of the tumour microenvironment is the fibroblast, which becomes corrupted by locally derived cues such as TGF-β1 and acquires an altered, heterogeneous phenotype (cancer-associated fibroblasts, CAF) supportive of tumour cell invasion and metastasis. Efforts to develop new treatments targeting the tumour mesenchyme are hampered by a poor understanding of the mechanisms underlying the development of CAF. Here, we examine the contribution of microRNA to the development of experimentally-derived CAF and correlate this with changes observed in CAF derived from tumours. Exposure of primary normal human fibroblasts to TGF-β1 resulted in the acquisition of a myofibroblastic CAF-like phenotype. This was associated with increased expression of miR-145, a miRNA predicted in silico to target multiple components of the TGF-β signalling pathway. miR-145 was also overexpressed in CAF derived from oral cancers. Overexpression of miR-145 blocked TGF-β1-induced myofibroblastic differentiation and reverted CAF towards a normal fibroblast phenotype. We conclude that miR-145 is a key regulator of the CAF phenotype, acting in a negative feedback loop to dampen acquisition of myofibroblastic traits, a key feature of CAF associated with poor disease outcome.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mouth Neoplasms/metabolism*
  3. Majid MZ, Zaini ZM, Razak FA
    ScientificWorldJournal, 2014;2014:125353.
    PMID: 25147833 DOI: 10.1155/2014/125353
    Brucea javanica, Azadirachta indica, and Typhonium flagelliforme are medicinal plants commonly used to treat conditions associated with tumour formation. This study aimed to determine the antiproliferative activity of these plants extracts on KB and ORL-48 oral cancer cell lines and to suggest their mode of cell death. The concentration producing 50% cell inhibition (IC50) was determined and the activity was examined under an inverted microscope. Immunohistochemistry fluorescent staining method (TUNEL) was performed to indicate the mechanism of cell death and the fragmented DNA band pattern produced was obtained for verification. Compared to Azadirachta sp. and Typhonium sp., the antiproliferative activity of Brucea sp. extract was the most potent on both KB and ORL-48 cells with IC50 of 24.37 ± 1.75 and 6.67 ± 1.15 µg/mL, respectively. Signs of cell attrition were observed 24 hr after treatment. Green fluorescent spots indicating cell death by apoptosis were observed in images of both cells following treatment with all the three extracts. DNA fragments harvested from Brucea-treated cells produced bands in a ladder pattern suggesting the apoptotic effect of the extract. It is thus concluded that Brucea sp. extract exhibited cytotoxic activity on ORL-48 cells and their action mechanism is via apoptosis.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mouth Neoplasms/metabolism
  4. Kumar SK, Zain RB, Ismail SM, Cheong SC
    J Exp Clin Cancer Res, 2005 Dec;24(4):639-46.
    PMID: 16471328
    Human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT), the catalytic subunit of telomerase, is strongly associated with telomerase activity implicated in cellular immortalization and tumorigenesis. In situ detection of hTERT will aid in determining the localization of telomerase positive cells. The aim of this study was to detect hTERT protein expression in multistep oral carcinogenesis using paraffin embedded tissue samples, and to study the relationship of hTERT expression with different histological stages in oral carcinogenesis. Normal (n = 4), hyperplastic (n = 4), dysplastic (n = 4) and neoplastic (n = 10) oral epithelia representing different histological stages in oral carcinogenesis were included in the study. hTERT protein detection was done by immunohistochemistry (IHC) technique. Nuclear staining intensities were noted and the hTERT-labelling index was determined. Dysplastic and neoplastic oral epithelia showed an increased percentage of hTERT positive cells (Grade 4: > 50% positive staining nuclei) with intense staining in the basal, parabasal and superficial layers of the epithelia, unlike normal oral mucosa which showed intense staining only in the basal and parabasal cell layers, which are the normal proliferative progenitor compartments. hTERT protein expression was elevated with the corresponding advancement of the histological stages of oral carcinogenesis, from normal to hyperplasia to dysplasia to carcinoma. There seems to be an upregulation of hTERT protein expression during the progression of oral cancer, therefore, this may indicate the feasibility of IHC detection of hTERT protein in oral carcinogenesis as a potential diagnostic or prognostic marker.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mouth Neoplasms/metabolism*
  5. Chai AWY, Lim KP, Cheong SC
    Semin Cancer Biol, 2020 04;61:71-83.
    PMID: 31542510 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2019.09.011
    Oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) are a heterogeneous group of cancers arising from the mucosal lining of the oral cavity. A majority of these cancers are associated with lifestyle risk habits including smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and betel quid chewing. Cetuximab, targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor was approved for the treatment of OSCC in 2006, and remains the only molecular targeted therapy available for OSCC. Here, we reviewed the current findings from genomic analyses of OSCC and discuss how these studies inform on the biological mechanisms underlying OSCC. Exome sequencing revealed that the significantly mutated genes are mainly tumour suppressors. Mutations in FAT1, CASP8, CDKN2A, and NOTCH1 are more frequently found in OSCC when compared to non-OSCC head and neck cancers and other squamous cell carcinomas, and HRAS and PIK3CA are the only significantly mutated oncogenes. The distribution of these mutations also differs in populations with distinct risk habits. Gene expression-based molecular classification showed that OSCC can be divided into distinct subtypes and these have a preferential response to different types of therapies, suggesting that these classifications could have clinical implications. More recently, with the approval of checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of cancers including OSCC, genomics studies also dissected the genetic signatures of the immune compartment to delineate immune-active and -exhausted subtypes that could inform on the immune status of OSCC patients and guide the development of novel therapies to improve response to immunotherapy. Taken together, genomics studies are informing on the biology of both the epithelial and stromal compartments underlying OSCC development, and we discuss the opportunities and challenges in using these to derive clinical benefit for OSCC patients.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mouth Neoplasms/metabolism
  6. Chong CE, Lim KP, Gan CP, Marsh CA, Zain RB, Abraham MT, et al.
    Cancer Lett, 2012 Aug 1;321(1):18-26.
    PMID: 22459352 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2012.03.025
    MAGE proteins have been shown to be good targets for cancer immunotherapy. We demonstrate that MAGED4B is over-expressed in more than 50% of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC) tissues and the expression of MAGED4B is associated with lymph node metastasis and poor disease specific survival. OSCC cell lines that over-express MAGED4B promote migration in vitro, exhibit an increase in cell growth both in vitro and in vivo, and are more resistant to apoptosis compared to control cells. Our data suggest that MAGED4B over-expression is a driver in oral carcinogenesis and argues strongly that this protein may represent a potential therapeutic target in OSCC.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mouth Neoplasms/metabolism*
  7. Yap YH, Say YH
    Cell Biol Int, 2012 Mar 1;36(3):273-7.
    PMID: 21980981 DOI: 10.1042/CBI20110088
    Since the discovery of PrPC (cellular prion protein), most studies have focused on its role in neurodegenerative diseases, whereas its function outside the nervous system remains obscure. We investigated the ability of PrPC in resisting TNFα (tumour necrosis factor α) apoptosis in three PrPC-transiently transfected cancer cell lines, renal adenocarcinoma ACHN, oral squamous cell carcinoma HSC-2 and colon adenocarcinoma LS174T. PrPC-expressing ACHN and LS174T cells had higher viabilities compared with the mock-transfected cells, while the transient overexpression of PrPC had minimal overall effect on HSC-2 cells due to its high endogenous PrPC expression. Cell cycles were also analysed, with both PrPC expressing ACHN and LS174T cells having a significantly higher proliferative index than mock-transfected cells. Flow cytometry analysis indicated a G1/S-phase cell cycle transition in both PrPC-expressing ACHN and LS174T cells. PrPC resists TNFα apoptosis due to a modest, but statistically significant, cell-specific cytoprotection compared with mock-transfected cells.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mouth Neoplasms/metabolism*
  8. Bates T, Kennedy M, Diajil A, Goodson M, Thomson P, Doran E, et al.
    Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev, 2016 Jun;25(6):927-35.
    PMID: 27197272 DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-15-0949
    BACKGROUND: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a global healthcare problem associated with poor clinical outcomes. Early detection is key to improving patient survival. OSCC may be preceded by clinically recognizable lesions, termed oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD). As histologic assessment of OPMD does not accurately predict their clinical behavior, biomarkers are required to detect cases at risk of malignant transformation. Epidermal growth factor receptor gene copy number (EGFR GCN) is a validated biomarker in lung non-small cell carcinoma. We examined EGFR GCN in OPMD and OSCC to determine its potential as a biomarker in oral carcinogenesis.

    METHODS: EGFR GCN was examined by in situ hybridization (ISH) in biopsies from 78 patients with OPMD and 92 patients with early-stage (stages I and II) OSCC. EGFR ISH signals were scored by two pathologists and a category assigned by consensus. The data were correlated with patient demographics and clinical outcomes.

    RESULTS: OPMD with abnormal EGFR GCN were more likely to undergo malignant transformation than diploid cases. EGFR genomic gain was detected in a quarter of early-stage OSCC, but did not correlate with clinical outcomes.

    CONCLUSION: These data suggest that abnormal EGFR GCN has clinical utility as a biomarker for the detection of OPMD destined to undergo malignant transformation. Prospective studies are required to verify this finding. It remains to be determined if EGFR GCN could be used to select patients for EGFR-targeted therapies.

    IMPACT: Abnormal EGFR GCN is a potential biomarker for identifying OPMD that are at risk of malignant transformation. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 25(6); 927-35. ©2016 AACR.

    Matched MeSH terms: Mouth Neoplasms/metabolism*
  9. Jessie K, Jayapalan JJ, Ong KC, Abdul Rahim ZH, Zain RM, Wong KT, et al.
    Electrophoresis, 2013 Sep;34(17):2495-502.
    PMID: 23784731 DOI: 10.1002/elps.201300107
    Confirmation of oral squamous cell cancer (OSCC) currently relies on histological analysis, which does not provide clear indication of cancer development from precancerous lesions. In the present study, whole saliva proteins of patients with OSCC (n = 12) and healthy subjects (n = 12) were separated by 2DE to identify potential candidate biomarkers that are much needed to improve detection of the cancer. The OSCC patients' 2DE saliva protein profiles appeared unique and different from those obtained from the healthy subjects. The patients' saliva α1-antitrypsin (AAT) and haptoglobin (HAP) β chains were resolved into polypeptide spots with increased microheterogeneity, although these were not apparent in their sera. Their 2DE protein profiles also showed presence of hemopexin and α-1B glycoprotein, which were not detected in the profiles of the control saliva. When subjected to densitometry analysis, significant altered levels of AAT, complement C3, transferrin, transthyretin, and β chains of fibrinogen and HAP were detected. The increased levels of saliva AAT, HAP, complement C3, hemopexin, and transthyretin in the OSCC patients were validated by ELISA. The strong association of AAT and HAP with OSCC was further supported by immunohistochemical staining of cancer tissues. The differently expressed saliva proteins may be useful complementary biomarkers for the early detection and/or monitoring of OSCC, although this requires validation in clinically representative populations.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mouth Neoplasms/metabolism*
  10. Mahdey HM, Ramanathan A, Ismail SM, Abraham MT, Jamaluddin M, Zain RB
    Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2011;12(9):2199-204.
    PMID: 22296356
    INTRODUCTION: Several molecular markers have been studied for their usefulness as prognostic markers in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). One such molecular marker is cyclin D1 which is a proto-oncogene located on 11q13 in humans.

    OBJECTIVE: To explore the feasibility of using cyclin D1 as a prognostic marker in tongue and cheek SCC by the fluorescent-in-situ hybridization (FISH) method.

    METHODS: Fifty paraffin-embedded samples (25 each of cheek and tongue SCCs) were obtained from the archives of the Oral Pathology Diagnostic Laboratory. Sociodemographic data, histopathologic diagnoses, lymph node status and survival data were obtained from the Malaysian Oral Cancer Database and Tissue Bank System (MOCDTBS)coordinated by the Oral Cancer Research and Coordinating Centre (OCRCC), University of Malaya. The FISH technique was used to detect the amplification of cyclin D1 using the Vysis protocol. Statistical correlations of cyclin D1 with site and lymph node status were analyzed using the Fisher exact test. Kaplan-Meier and Log Rank (Mantel-Cox) test were used to analyze cyclin D1 amplification and median survival time.

    RESULTS: Positive amplification of cyclin D1 was detected in 72% (36) of OSCCs. Detection of positive amplification for cyclin D1 was observed in 88% (22) and 56% (14) of the tongue and cheek tumors, respectively, where the difference was statistically significant (P=0.012). Lymph node metastasis of cheek SCCs showed a trend towards a significant association (P= 0.098) with cyclin D1 amplification whereas the lymph node metastasis of tongue SCC was clearly not significant (P=0.593).There was a statistically significant correlation between cyclin D1 positivity and survival rate (P=0.009) for overall SCC cases and (P<0.001) for cheek SCC cases.

    CONCLUSION: The present study found that cyclin D1 amplification may differ in different subsites of OSCC (tongue vs cheek) and its positive amplification implies an overall poor survival in OSCCs, particularly those arising in cheeks.

    Matched MeSH terms: Mouth Neoplasms/metabolism
  11. Heah KG, Hassan MI, Huat SC
    Asian Pac J Cancer Prev, 2011;12(4):1017-22.
    PMID: 21790244
    INTRODUCTION: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has high local recurrence, partly caused by the lack of clear margin identification on surgical removal of cancerous tissues. Direct visualization by immunostaining and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) in tissue sections gives more definite information about genetic damage at margins with appropriately selected biomarkers.

    AIMS: To determine the usefulness of immunohistochemical techniques and FISH of the tumour suppressor TP 53 gene to identify microinvasion in marginal tissue sections and to relate the possible correlation between protein expression and genetic aberrations in OSCC cases in Malaysia.

    METHODS: Immunohistochemistry and FISH of TP 53 genes were applied on 26 OSCC formalin fixed paraffin embed (FFEP) blocks selected from two oral cancer referral centers in Malaysia.

    RESULTS: For p53 protein immunohistochemistry, 96% of the 26 OSCC studied showed positive immunostaining at the excision margins. In FISH assay, 48.9±9.7% of the cancerous cells were monoploid for p53 probe signals, 41.0±9.5 % were diploid, and 10.2±7.8 % were polyploid. A correlation between p53 immunostaining and TP53 gene aberrations was noted (p< 0.05).

    CONCLUSIONS: Immunohistochemical analysis of p53 protein expression and FISH of TP53 gene could be applied as screening tool for microinvasion of OSCC.

    Matched MeSH terms: Mouth Neoplasms/metabolism
  12. Auzair LB, Vincent-Chong VK, Ghani WM, Kallarakkal TG, Ramanathan A, Lee CE, et al.
    Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol, 2016 Jul;273(7):1885-93.
    PMID: 26138391 DOI: 10.1007/s00405-015-3703-9
    Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) and Actin-Related Protein 2/3 Complex, Subunit 1B (ARPC1B) have been implicated in various human cancers, yet its role in tumorigenesis remains controversial. Therefore, this study aims to determine the protein expression of these two genes in oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) and to evaluate the clinical and prognostic impact of these genes in OSCC. Protein expressions of these two genes were determined by immunohistochemistry technique. The association between Cav-1 and ARPC1B with clinico-pathological parameters was evaluated by Chi-square test (or Fisher exact test where appropriate). Correlation between the protein expressions of these 2 genes with survival was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression models. Cav-1 and ARPC1B were found to be significantly over-expressed in OSCC compared to normal oral mucosa (p = 0.002 and p = 0.033, respectively). Low level of ARPC1B protein expression showed a significant correlation with lymph node metastasis (LNM) (p = 0.010) and advanced tumor staging (p = 0.003). Kaplan-Meier survival analyses demonstrated that patients with over-expression of Cav-1 protein were associated with poor prognosis (p = 0.030). Adjusted multivariate Cox regression model revealed that over-expression of Cav-1 remained as an independent significant prognostic factor for OSCC (HRR = 2.700, 95 % CI 1.013-7.198, p = 0.047). This study demonstrated that low-expression of ARPC1B is significantly associated with LNM and advanced tumor staging whereas high expression of Cav-1 can be a prognostic indicator for poor prognosis in OSCC patients.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mouth Neoplasms/metabolism
  13. Arain SS, Kazi TG, Afridi HI, Talpur FN, Kazi AG, Brahman KD, et al.
    Biol Trace Elem Res, 2015 Dec;168(2):287-95.
    PMID: 25975948 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-015-0355-y
    It has been extensively reported that chewing of smokeless tobacco (SLT) can lead to cancers of oral cavity. In present study, the relationship between arsenic (As) exposure via chewing/inhaling different SLT products in oral cancer patients have or/not consumed SLT products was studied. The As in different types of SLT products (gutkha, mainpuri, and snuff) and biological (scalp hair and blood) samples of different types of oral cancer patients and controls were analyzed. Both controls and oral cancer patients have same age group (ranged 30-60 years), socio-economic status, localities, and dietary habits. The concentrations of As in SLT products and biological samples were measured by electrothermal atomic absorption spectrophotometer after microwave-assisted acid digestion. The validity and accuracy of the methodology were checked by certified reference materials. The resulted data of present study indicates that the concentration of As was significantly higher in scalp hair and blood samples of oral cancer patients than those of controls (p<0.001). It was also observed that the values of As were two- to threefolds higher in biological samples of controls subjects, consuming SLT products as compared to those have none of these habits (p>0.01). The intake of As via consuming different SLT may have synergistic effects, in addition to other risk factors associated with oral cancer.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mouth Neoplasms/metabolism*
  14. Siriwardena BSMS, Karunathilaka HDNU, Kumarasiri PVR, Tilakaratne WM
    Biomed Res Int, 2020;2020:2059240.
    PMID: 33123565 DOI: 10.1155/2020/2059240
    Background: Nodal metastasis is a critical factor in predicting the prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). When patients present with a clinically positive neck, the treatment of choice is radical neck dissection. However, management of a clinically negative neck is still a subject of significant controversy.

    Aim: This study was carried out in order to propose a model to predict regional lymph node metastasis of OSCC using histological parameters such as tumour stage, tumour size, pattern of invasion (POI), differentiation of tumour, and host immune response, together with the expression levels of six biomarkers (periostin, HIF-1α, MMP-9, β-catenin, VEGF-C, and EGFR), and, furthermore, to compare the impact of all these parameters on recurrence and 3 yr and 5 yr survival rates. Materials and Method. Histological materials collected from the archives were used to evaluate histological parameters and immunohistochemical profiles. Standard methods were used for immunohistochemistry and for evaluation of results. Data related to recurrence and survival (3 and 5 years) was also recorded. Clinical data was collected from patients' records.

    Results: Male to female ratio was 3 : 1. The commonest site of OSCC was the buccal mucosa, and majority of them were T3 or T4 tumours presented at stage 4. 62.5% of the tumours were well differentiated. Three-year and 5-year survival rates were significantly associated with lymph node metastasis and recurrence. POI was significantly correlated with tumour size, stage, 3-year survival, EGFR, HIF-1α, periostin, and MMP-9 (p < 0.05). Expression of EGFR showed a direct association with metastasis (p < 0.05).

    Conclusion: POI, level of differentiation, and expression of EGFR are independent prognostic markers for lymph node metastasis. Therefore, these parameters may help in treatment planning of a clinically negative neck.

    Matched MeSH terms: Mouth Neoplasms/metabolism
  15. Yap YH, Say YH
    Cancer Lett, 2011 Jul 1;306(1):111-9.
    PMID: 21439722 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2011.02.040
    Most studies have focused on the role of the cellular prion protein (PrP(C)) in neurodegenerative diseases, whereas the function of this ubiquitous protein outside the nervous system remains elusive. Therefore, the anti-apoptotic property of PrP(C) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (HSC-2) and colon adenocarcinoma (LS 174T) was evaluated in this study, by stable shRNA knockdown and overexpression, respectively. PrP(C) confers resistance against oxidative stress-apoptosis as indicated by MTT assay, Annexin V-FITC/PI and DCFH-DA staining, but this property is abolished upon N-glycosylation inhibition by tunicamycin. Our results indicate that the inhibition of glycosylation in cancer cells overexpressing PrP(C) could represent a potential therapeutic target.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mouth Neoplasms/metabolism*
  16. Gan CP, Patel V, Mikelis CM, Zain RB, Molinolo AA, Abraham MT, et al.
    Oncotarget, 2014 Oct 30;5(20):9626-40.
    PMID: 25275299
    Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has a propensity to spread to the cervical lymph nodes (LN). The presence of cervical LN metastases severely impacts patient survival, whereby the two-year survival for oral cancer patients with involved LN is ~30% compared to over 80% in patients with non-involved LN. Elucidation of key molecular mechanisms underlying OSCC metastasis may afford an opportunity to target specific genes, to prevent the spread of OSCC and to improve patient survival. In this study, we demonstrated that expression of the heterotrimeric G-protein alpha-12 (Gα12) is highly up-regulated in primary tumors and LN of OSCC patients, as assessed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). We also found that exogenous expression of the constitutively activated-form of Gα12 promoted cell migration and invasion in OSCC cell lines. Correspondingly, inhibition of Gα12 expression by shRNA consistently inhibited OSCC cell migration and invasion in vitro. Further, the inhibition of G12 signaling by regulator of G-protein signaling (RGS) inhibited Gα12-mediated RhoA activation, which in turn resulted in reduced LN metastases in a tongue-orthotopic xenograft mouse model of oral cancer. This study provides a rationale for future development and evaluation of drug candidates targeting Gα12-related pathways for metastasis prevention.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mouth Neoplasms/metabolism*
  17. Lim KP, Chun NA, Ismail SM, Abraham MT, Yusoff MN, Zain RB, et al.
    PLoS One, 2014;9(8):e103975.
    PMID: 25153698 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0103975
    Regulatory T cells (Tregs), a subset of CD4+ T cells plays a pivotal role in regulating the immune system. An increase in Treg numbers enables cancer progression by dampening the immune system and allowing tumor cells to evade immune detection and destruction. An increase in Treg numbers and expression of inhibitory cytokines including TGF-β and IL-10 are mechanisms by which Tregs exert their immune suppressive function. However, the presence of Tregs and inhibitory cytokines in oral cancer patients is still unclear. In this study, the presence of circulating Tregs in 39 oral cancer patients and 24 healthy donors was examined by studying the presence of the CD4+CD25hiCD127low cell population in their peripheral blood mononuclear cells using flow cytometry. Serum levels of TGF-β and IL-10 were measured by ELISA. T cell subsets of OSCC patients were found to differ significantly from healthy donors where a decrease in CD8+ cytotoxic T cells and an increase in Tregs (CD4+CD25hiCD127low) were observed. Further, the ratio of CD8+ T cells/Tregs was also decreased in patients compared to healthy donors. The presence of Tregs was accompanied by a decrease in IL-10 but not TGF-β secretion in OSCC patients when compared to donors; in addition, the analysis also revealed that an increased presence of Tregs was accompanied by better patient survival. Amongst OSCC patients, smokers had significantly higher levels of TGF-β. It is apparent that the immune system is compromised in OSCC patients and the characterization of the Treg subpopulation could form a basis for improving our understanding of the perturbations in the immune system that occur during OSCC tumorigenesis.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mouth Neoplasms/metabolism
  18. Chang HY, Hor SY, Lim KP, Zain RB, Cheong SC, Rahman MA, et al.
    Electrophoresis, 2013 Aug;34(15):2199-208.
    PMID: 23712713 DOI: 10.1002/elps.201300126
    This study aims to identify cancer-associated proteins in the secretome of oral cancer cell lines. We have successfully established four primary cell cultures of normal cells with a limited lifespan without human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) immortalization. The secretome of these primary cell cultures were compared with that of oral cancer cell lines using 2DE. Thirty five protein spots were found to have changed in abundance. Unambiguous identification of these proteins was achieved by MALDI TOF/TOF. In silico analysis predicted that 24 of these proteins were secreted via classical or nonclassical mechanisms. The mRNA expression of six genes was found to correlate with the corresponding protein abundance. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) core analysis revealed that the identified proteins were relevant in, and related to, cancer development with likely involvements in tumor growth, metastasis, hyperproliferation, tumorigenesis, neoplasia, hyperplasia, and cell transformation. In conclusion, we have demonstrated that a comparative study of the secretome of cancer versus normal cell lines can be used to identify cancer-associated proteins.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mouth Neoplasms/metabolism
  19. In LL, Arshad NM, Ibrahim H, Azmi MN, Awang K, Nagoor NH
    PMID: 23043547 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6882-12-179
    Oral cancers although preventable, possess a low five-year survival rate which has remained unchanged over the past three decades. In an attempt to find a more safe, affordable and effective treatment option, we describe here the use of 1'S-1'-acetoxychavicol acetate (ACA), a component of Malaysian ginger traditionally used for various medicinal purposes.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mouth Neoplasms/metabolism
  20. Zanaruddin SN, Saleh A, Yang YH, Hamid S, Mustafa WM, Khairul Bariah AA, et al.
    Hum Pathol, 2013 Mar;44(3):417-26.
    PMID: 23026198 DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2012.06.007
    The presence of lymph node (LN) metastasis significantly affects the survival of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Successful detection and removal of positive LNs are crucial in the treatment of this disease. Current evaluation methods still have their limitations in detecting the presence of tumor cells in the LNs, where up to a third of clinically diagnosed metastasis-negative (N0) patients actually have metastasis-positive LNs in the neck. We developed a molecular signature in the primary tumor that could predict LN metastasis in OSCC. A total of 211 cores from 55 individuals were included in the study. Eleven proteins were evaluated using immunohistochemical analysis in a tissue microarray. Of the 11 biomarkers evaluated using receiver operating curve analysis, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), v-erb-b2 erythroblastic leukemia viral oncogene homolog 2 (HER-2/neu), laminin, gamma 2 (LAMC2), and ras homolog family member C (RHOC) were found to be significantly associated with the presence of LN metastasis. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering-demonstrated expression patterns of these 4 proteins could be used to differentiate specimens that have positive LN metastasis from those that are negative for LN metastasis. Collectively, EGFR, HER-2/neu, LAMC2, and RHOC have a specificity of 87.5% and a sensitivity of 70%, with a prognostic accuracy of 83.4% for LN metastasis. We also demonstrated that the LN signature could independently predict disease-specific survival (P = .036). The 4-protein LN signature validated in an independent set of samples strongly suggests that it could reliably distinguish patients with LN metastasis from those who were metastasis-free and therefore could be a prognostic tool for the management of patients with OSCC.
    Matched MeSH terms: Mouth Neoplasms/metabolism
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