Survivin gene-expression and splicing isoforms in oral squamous cell carcinoma

• Published in: Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology 2009, Vol.135 (1), p.107-116
• Main Authors: De Maria, Salvatore, Pannone, Giuseppe, Bufo, Pantaleo, Santoro, Angela, Serpico, Rosario, Metafora, Salvatore, Rubini, Corrado, Pasquali, Daniela, Papagerakis, Silvana M, Staibano, Stefania, De Rosa, Gaetano, Farina, Ernesto, Emanuelli, Monica, Santarelli, Andrea, Mariggiò, Maria Ada, Lo Russo, Lucio, Lo Muzio, Lorenzo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alternative Splicing; Antineoplastic agents; Apoptosis; Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers, Tumor - genetics; Biomarkers, Tumor - metabolism; Cancer; Cancer Research; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - genetics; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - metabolism; Female; Gene Expression; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Hematology; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; Internal Medicine; Lymphatic Metastasis; Male; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Microtubule-Associated Proteins - genetics; Microtubule-Associated Proteins - metabolism; Middle Aged; Mouth; Mouth Mucosa - metabolism; Mouth Mucosa - pathology; Mouth Neoplasms - genetics; Mouth Neoplasms - metabolism; Oncology; Original Paper; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Precancerous Conditions - genetics; Precancerous Conditions - metabolism; Prognosis; Protein Isoforms; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Messenger - genetics; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Tumors; Upper respiratory tract, upper alimentary tract, paranasal sinuses, salivary glands: diseases, semeiology
• ISSN: 0171-5216; 1432-1335
• DOI: 10.1007/s00432-008-0433-z

Purpose Survivin, an inhibitor of apoptosis protein and a cell cycle regulator, has been detected in the majority of human cancers. Five splice variants (survivin, survivin-2α, survivin-2B, survivin-3B, and survivin-ΔEx3) have been identified; their expressions have been investigated here. Methods By means of RT real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry, we have evaluated survivin isoform expressions at both mRNA and protein levels in human normal oral tissue, precancerous lesions, and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Their correlations with the pathological findings have also been analyzed. Results Expression levels of all survivin transcript variants were markedly elevated in OSCC when compared to normal tissues. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed highly significant up-regulation of survivin (P = 0.001), survivin-ΔEx3 (P = 0.001) and survivin-2B (P = 0.004), whereas survivin-3B showed a minor increase in OSCC compared to normal mucosa. Conclusions Our findings suggest that survivin isoforms deregulation may have significant implications in tumor aggressiveness and prognosis.