Context:Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) is a tumor suppressor gene located on chromosome 10q23. PTEN has its major function in the regulation of cell adhesion, cell cycle arrest, migration, apoptosis programming, and differentiation. This genomic region suffers loss of heterozygosity in many human cancers.Aims:The aim of this study was to compare the immunohistochemical expression of PTEN in normal oral mucosa and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and to correlate the PTEN expression in gradings of OSCC.Materials and Methods:Thirty cases of paraffin tissue sections of previously diagnosed OSCC were taken. Of thirty cases, ten were well differentiated, ten were moderately differentiated, and ten were poorly differentiated. As a control, ten paraffin sections of oral normal mucosa tissue specimens were taken from patients undergoing extractions. The sections were stained for immunohistochemical expression of PTEN. The cells stained by PTEN antibody were counted, and an immunohistochemical score was obtained.Statistical Analysis Used:Statistical analysis was done using Mann–Whitney's test and Kruskal–Wallis test.Results:Statistical analysis revealed that there was a significant difference between normal mucosa and OSCC in immunohistochemistry staining. However, there was no significant difference in PTEN expression among gradings of OSCC.Conclusions:The study concluded that there was a decrease in PTEN expression in OSCC than normal mucosa. It also concluded that PTEN is a tumor suppressor gene which has a wide role in oral carcinogenesis.

Background Traditional Siddha Medicine advises using metal-based formulations to treat cancers. In the case of any toxicities during the therapy, Siddha physicians use Vernonia cinerea (VC) whole plant kashayam (crude aqueous extract-CAE) to reverse the toxic effects. Aim To evaluate the nephroprotective activity of CAE and its fractions in cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity and to assess whether they compromise the anticancer efficacy of cisplatin. Materials and methods Cisplatin-induced renal damage was induced in Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma (EAC) bearing mice during mild phase of tumor growth. CAE and its butanol (BF) and aqueous (AF) fractions were administered orally from the 5th day for five days. Nephroprotective potential (serum urea, creatinine, renal histology) and effect of VC on cisplatin anticancer efficacy (tumor volume, viable tumor cells, percentage increase in life span (% ILS)) were calculated. Result CAE and its fractions significantly reversed the cisplatin-induced renal damage. CAE and BF treated animals showed regeneration of 50%–75% of proximal tubular cells. Compared to EAC control mice, the % ILS of the cisplatin-treated group was 244% and it was further extended to 379% after CAE administration. The % ILS in the CAE treated group was 1.6 times higher than the cisplatin alone treated group. GC-MS study showed the presence of astaxanthin and betulin. Conclusion CAE of VC reverses cisplatin-induced kidney damage as well as regenerates proximal tubular epithelial cells, without compromising the anticancer effect of cisplatin. When CAE was further fractionated, the nephroprotective activity was retained, but the beneficial anticancer effect of cisplatin was compromised.