No abstract

MMP-7 was observed only in cancer cells, and MT1-MMP in both tumoral tissue and stroma. MMP-7 expression was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis (P = 0.03; RR = 3.2). MT1-MMP showed a significant association with TIMP-2 (in N+ cases) and p53 expression (P = 0.01). MMP-7 and MT1-MMP displayed a survival relevance, and in multivariate analysis they were independent prognostic indicators, particularly in neck node-positive cases.

Objectives: The present study was undertaken to compare the pattern of expression of EGFR, cyclin D1, Ki-67, p-53 and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in the epithelial lining of odontogenic keratocysts, dentigerous cysts, radicular cysts and ameloblastomas. Methods: four micrometers, formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections from 11 odontogenic keratocysts, 10 dentigerous cysts, 10 radicular cysts and 10 ameloblastomas were immunohistochemically studied. Results: There were statistically significant differences between cyclin D1 expression in odontogenic keratocysts and radicular cysts (p= 0.001) and ameloblastomas (p= 0.04). The differences in CEA expression between the four studied lesions were statistically significant (p< 0.0005). Proliferating cells were significantly more prevalent in odontogenic keratocysts (p< 0.0005) with a mean percentage of Ki-67 positively stained nuclei of 40%. In dentigerous cysts this mean was of 17%, of 15.5% in RC and of 7.8 in ameloblastomas. Conclusion: Some of these findings could support the theory that odontogenic keratocysts are neoplastic in origin, but other results clearly support that these lesions are developmental cysts with some neoplastic properties because of the high intrinsic growth potential.

No abstract

Increased expression of FAK may play a role in invasiveness and metastasis of OSCCs, which contribute to poor prognosis and low survival.

Bcl-2 is associated with aggressive disease, neck lymph node metastasis, and poor prognosis. Whereas Bax is related with histologic grade.

The reduction of ANXA2 expression in poorly differentiated tumors is expected to result in a loss of function aimed at the coordination of membrane signaling enzyme complexes. The consequences may manifest as an alteration of epithelial tissue growth and remodeling which eventually exert an influence on tumor progression and metastasis.

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) can be polarized into antitumoral M1 and protumoral and immunosuppressive M2 macrophages. This study investigated the clinical relevance of TAM infiltration in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), evaluating CD68 (M1 and M2 macrophage marker) and CD163 expression (M2 macrophage marker) in the tumor nests and surrounding stroma. Immunohistochemical analysis of both stromal/tumoral CD68+ and CD163+ TAMs was performed in paraffin-embedded tissue specimens from 125 OSCC patients, and correlated with clinical data. Potential relationships with the expression of cancer stem cell (CSC) markers and PD-L1 in the tumors were also assessed. Stromal CD163+ infiltration was significantly associated with the tumor location in the tongue, and stromal and tumoral CD68+ and CD163+-infiltrating TAMs were more abundant in nonsmokers and non-alcohol-drinkers. Strikingly, this study uncovers an inverse relationship between CD68+ and CD163+ TAMs and CSC marker expression (NANOG and SOX2) in OSCC. High infiltration of CD163+ TAMs in both tumor and stroma was strongly and significantly correlated with the absence of NANOG expression. Moreover, infiltration of both CD68+ and CD163+ TAMs was also significantly associated with high tumor expression of PD-L1. Our results suggest that there is a link between TAM infiltration and immune escape in OSCC.