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Differential expression of fatty acid synthase (FAS) and ErbB2 in nonmalignant and malignant oral keratinocytes

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate fatty acid synthase (FAS) and ErbB2 expression in nonmalignant oral epithelium and oral or head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC/HNSCC). Morphologically normal, hyperkeratotic, and dysplastic oral epithelium as well as well-differentiated and poorly differentiated OSCC were immunohistochemically evaluated for FAS, ErbB2, and Ki-67. These proteins were also analyzed in a tissue microarray with 55 HNSCC. SCC-9 cells were used to study FAS and ErbB2 during differentiation. FAS expression was higher in hyperkeratosis, dysplasias, and OSCC than in normal epithelium. Well-differentiated OSCC/HNSCC were more positive for FAS than the poorly differentiated tumors. ErbB2 was observed at the surface of nonmalignant and well-differentiated OSCC/HNSCC keratinocytes and in the cytoplasm of poorly differentiated cells. Ki-67 index was progressively higher from normal oral epithelium to OSCC, inversely correlated with cell surface ErbB2, and positively correlated with intracytoplasmic ErbB2. Finally, SCC-9 cell cultures were enriched in membrane ErbB2-positive cells after differentiation by anchorage deprivation. In conclusion, FAS is overexpressed in OSCC/HNSCC and hyperkeratotic oral epithelium and ErbB2 is found at the cell surface of differentiating keratinocytes and in the cytoplasm of poorly differentiated tumor cells. Ki-67 index is higher in epithelial dysplasias and OSCC than in morphologically normal oral epithelium.

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Conflict of interest statement

We declare that we have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departament of Oral Diagnosis, School of Dentistry of Piracicaba, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Av. Limeira 901, CP 52, Areão, Piracicaba, CEP 13414-018, SP, Brazil

    Sabrina D. Silva, Ana Lúcia C. A. Rangel, Jacks Jorge, Michelle Agostini, Ricardo D. Coletta & Edgard Graner

  2. Departament of Anatomical Pathology, A.C. Camargo Cancer Hospital, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Isabela W. Cunha

  3. Department of Clinical Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil

    Karina G. Zecchin

  4. Department of Head and Neck Surgery and Otorhinolaryngology, A.C. Camargo Cancer Hospital, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    Luiz P. Kowalski

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  1. Sabrina D. Silva
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  2. Isabela W. Cunha
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  3. Ana Lúcia C. A. Rangel
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  4. Jacks Jorge
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  5. Karina G. Zecchin
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  6. Michelle Agostini
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  7. Luiz P. Kowalski
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  8. Ricardo D. Coletta
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  9. Edgard Graner
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Edgard Graner.

Additional information

This work was supported by a grant from Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP grant 02/08030-1 and CEPID/FAPESP grant 9814335). S.D. Silva, A.L.C.A. Rangel, and M. Agostini are supported by FAPESP fellowships (grants 04/06398-7, 04/13904-6, and 04/06397-0).

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Silva, S.D., Cunha, I.W., Rangel, A.L.C.A. et al. Differential expression of fatty acid synthase (FAS) and ErbB2 in nonmalignant and malignant oral keratinocytes. Virchows Arch 453, 57–67 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00428-008-0626-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00428-008-0626-5

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