Abstract. integrins mediate the interaction of cells with the extracellular matrix and are believed to be involved in tumor cell survival and metastasis, and in tumor angiogenesis. We used immunohistochemistry of fresh-frozen human tumor tissues to analyze the presence of integrins αvβ3, αvβ5 and α5β1, which are believed to be involved in tumor growth and migration, together with integrin ligands, vitronectin, osteopontin, fibronectin and fibrinogen, in human oral squamous cell carcinomas. Samples of squamous cell carcinomas and control tissues from patients without cancer undergoing oral or maxillofacial surgery were frozen in liquid nitrogen within 30 min of removal. Frozen sections were prepared, and the presence of integrins or ligands was visualized using standard immunohistochemistry (apaap) with a blinded evaluation. comparison of samples from the 40 oral cancer patients and the 20 controls revealed increased staining in tumors compared with the controls, and staining was demonstrated for αvβ3 in endothelia. αvβ5 staining was increased in the tumor samples, but this was associated with increased expression in stroma rather than in endothelia. modestly increased expression of α5β1 was observed in the tumor samples, and this was associated with tumor cells, endothelia and stroma. Expression of ligands for the integrins varied between tissue types, with increased fibrinogen and fibronectin expression in tumor endothelia. Confirmation of the presence of these integrins and their association with tumor cells, endothelia or stroma suggests their potential for these integrins in human oral tumors. Overall, the increased expression of integrins within tumors, particularly expression associated with endothelial cells, supports the principle of selective integrin blockade as a novel anticancer strategy. IntroductionWorldwide, the 5-year survival rate for patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC) has not significantly increased for many years (1-5). HNSCC is diagnosed predominantly at the age range of 50-70 years, but is also observed in younger patients (6-8). despite aggressive initial management of the primary tumor, locoregional recurrence occurs in some 60% of cases, and distant metastasis is observed in some 25%. therefore, innovative therapeutic concepts are urgently required.angiogenesis is essential for tumor progression and metastasis. tumor angiogenesis is complex and involves crosstalk between tumor-derived growth factors, the modified extracellular matrix that develops around tumors, and endothelial receptors for extracellular matrix and growth factors (9,10). inhibition of angiogenesis often suppresses the tumor growth of model tumors, and the suppression and eradication of malignant tumors by targeting angiogenetic endothelial cells is a rapidly evolving approach to cancer therapy (10,11

Abstract.In previous studies we demonstrated telomerase activity in frozen tissue from head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and their tumor-free tumor margins. In the present study frozen sections from the same tissues were examined for in situ presence of hTERT. In preliminary investigations we established that the most suitable method of tissue preparation was fixation in acetone and methanol followed by steaming and visualization by APAAP. Most of the assays involved eleven anti-hTERT antibodies and were supplemented with the inclusion of antibodies Ki-67, antinucleolin and CD45. hTERT expression was investigated in the tissues of 61 patients with HNSCC and 37 patients without tumor. Semi-quantitative immunoreactive scores were correlated with telomerase activity. We examined the prognostic significance of hTERT expression with Kaplan-Meier curves and tested the immunological specificity of the antibodies by immunoabsorption with two hTERT peptides and a nucleolin peptide. Nuclear staining of satisfactory distribution and intensity was achieved in seven anti-hTERT antibodies both in the carcinomas and in the squamous epithelia of the tumor resection margins and in the control tissues. Proof of hTERT did not differ from telomerase activity. The telomerase activity demonstrated in tumor-free resection margins and in control tissues did, however, correlate with lymphocytic-monocytic infiltration (CD45 expression). This telomerase activity might be related to nuclear hTERT expression in the squamous epithelium, given that the hTERT score values in the connective tissue tended to be negative. The prognostic significance of hTERT expression demonstrated on paraffin sections from different tumor localizations was not confirmed for the frozen sections of patients with HNSCC. The hTERT specificity of the monoclonal NCL-L-hTERT, whose use as an antibody against hTERT has been questioned, was reexamined with immunohistochemical methods, but the intensity of its immunoabsorption with the nucleolin peptide did not exceed that observed in the other anti-hTERT antibodies.

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Abstract.In previous studies we demonstrated telomerase activity in frozen tissues from BCC and their tumor-free margins by the PCR ELISA. In this study we examined in the same frozen sections immunohistochemical presence of hTERT in the nucleus. After fixation in acetone and methanol followed by steaming we used for visualization the antigenantibody reactions by APAAP. This was the best method of preparation of the frozen sections in our preliminary hTERT-study with squamous cell carcinomas. This study was supplemented with antibodies against Ki-67, nucleolin, common leucocyte antigen CD45 and mutated p53. The immunoreactive scores were determined and included the comparison with telomerase activity. The investigation of hTERT expression was performed in the tissues of 41 patients with BCC and control tissues of 14 patients without tumor. Eleven commercial antibodies were used for a nuclear staining of hTERT expression. With the anti-hTERT antibodies we looked for both satisfactory distribution and intensity of immunohistochemical labeling in the carcinomas and in the squamous epithelia of the tumor centers, of the tumor-free margins and of the control tissues. The hTERT expression in the BCC was distributed heterogeneously. The score values established by the anti-hTERT antibodies used were variably or significantly increased. In the stroma they tended to be negative, so we disregarded stroma hTERT. Proof of hTERT did not differ uniformly from telomerase activity. We compared the high with the lower median hTERT values in the Kaplan-Meier curve. Patients with lower hTERT scores in the center or tumor margin as shown by some of the antibodies suffered relapse earlier. Finally, we compared the hTERT expression in BCC tissues with the hTERT scores in HNSCC tissues from our previous study. Only one anti-hTERT antibody (our Ab 7) yielded significantly higher scores in BCC than in HNSCC.

Abstract.The prognosis for patients with head and neck tumors (HNSCC) is poor, due among other things to the high-risk factor for locoregional recurrence and/or second primary tumors. Extensive studies on chemoprevention of oral pre-cancers to stop carcinogenesis and to prevent recurrence and/or second primary tumors have failed to reach the desired effects.