High expression levels of nuclear factor κB, IκB kinase α and Akt kinase in squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity

• Published in: Cancer 2001-12, Vol.92 (12), p.3037-3044
• Main Authors: Nakayama, Hideki, Ikebe, Tetsuro, Beppu, Mahiro, Shirasuna, Kanemitsu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Akt gene; apoptosis; immunohistochemistry; metastasis; nuclear factor κB; tumor invasion
• ISSN: 0008-543X; 1097-0142
• DOI: 10.1002/1097-0142(20011215)92:12<3037::AID-CNCR10171>3.0.CO;2-#

BACKGROUND It has been reported that the transcription factor nuclear factor κB (NF‐κB) is involved in the growth, invasion, and antiapoptotic activity of cultured tumor cells. METHODS The authors used immunohistochemistry to examine the expression of NF‐κB and the signaling molecules leading to NF‐κB activation in 36 untreated biopsy specimens from patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and in 15 specimens from patients with epithelial dysplasia of the oral cavity. RESULTS Among the molecules examined, the p65 subunit of NF‐κB (p65) and IκB kinase α (IKKα) were expressed highly in almost all SCC specimens examined, whereas the samples of normal squamous epithelia adjacent to tumors as well as epithelial dysplasia specimens were negative in for immunohistochemical staining. The invasiveness and metastasis of SCC seemed to correlate with the degree of staining degree in the molecules. Moreover, phosphorylated Akt kinase, which may be associated with antiapoptosis signaling of NF‐κB, was detected in the same areas where IKKα existed in large amounts. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that high expression levels of p65 and IKKα contribute to malignant behavior and antiapoptotic activity in SCC of the oral squamous epithelium. Cancer 2001;92:3037–44. © 2001 American Cancer Society. The transcription factor nuclear factor B (NF‐κB) and the intracellular signaling molecules for NF‐κB activation are overexpressed in squamous cell carcinoma.