Heat shock protein expression in oral epithelial dysplasia and squamous cell carcinoma

• Published in: European journal of cancer. Part B, Oral oncology Oral oncology, 1995, Vol.31 (1), p.63-67
• Main Authors: Sugerman, P.B., Savage, N.W., Xu, L.J., Walsh, L.J., Seymour, G.J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers, Tumor - analysis; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - chemistry; Dentistry; epithelial dysplasia; Epithelium - chemistry; Facial bones, jaws, teeth, parodontium: diseases, semeiology; heat shock protein; HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins - analysis; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Medical sciences; Mouth Neoplasms - chemistry; oral mucosal disease; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Precancerous Conditions - chemistry; squamous cell carcinoma; Tumors
• ISSN: 0964-1955; 1878-6766
• DOI: 10.1016/0964-1955(94)00034-2

Heat shock protein (HSP) expression is upregulated in tumour cells and, therefore, HSP expression is a likely marker of the malignant potential of oral epithelial lesions. Furthermore, the 70-kDa HSP (HSP 70) is implicated in the degree of tumour differentiation, the rate of tumour proliferation and the magnitude of the anti-tumour immune response. Accordingly, the distribution and intensity of HSP 70 expression was assessed in the epithelial compartment of oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC, n = 29), dysplastic oral epithelium ( n = 18) and benign oral mucosal lesions ( n = 22) using avidin-biotin complex immunohistochemistry and microdensitometry under standardised conditions. Staining intensity was recorded in kilo-ohms (kΩ). Normal oral mucosa ( n= 15) was used for comparison, and results were analysed using Kruskall-Wallis and Fisher's exact tests. The distribution of HSP 70 expression in well differentiated SCC was significantly different from that in poorly differentiated SCC ( P < 0.05), the latter demonstrating a more focal staining pattern. Median staining intensity in SCC (6.22 kΩ), epithelial dysplasia (9.61 kΩ) and the benign oral mucosal lesions (8.28 kΩ) was significantly greater than that in normal oral mucosa (5.64 kΩ; P < 0.05). Staining intensity in poorly differentiated SCC (7.66 kΩ) was greater than that in moderately differentiated SCC (4.77 kΩ), although this result just failed to reach statistical significance ( P = 0.06). These results suggest that, as employed currently, HSP 70 expression is not a definitive marker of oral malignancy or malignant potential. However, with further development, quantitative analysis of anti-HSP 70 immunoreactivity may be valuable as an adjunct to conventional histology for assessing the malignant potential of oral mucosal lesions.