Yoshiaki Kayada

Down-regulated expression of CD44 variant 6 in oral squamous cell carcinomas and its relationship to regional lymph node metastasis

The expression of the adhesion molecule CD44 variant 6 (CD44v6) was studied immunohistochemically on 38 oral squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and 10 biopsies of healthy oral mucosa. The relationship between the expression of CD44v6 and regional lymph node metastasis was also investigated. The expression of CD44v6 was apparently down-regulated in oral SCC, but not in normal oral mucosa. Carcinomas expressing lower levels of CD44v6 exhibited more frequent regional lymph node metastasis. The expression of CD44v6 showed no statistically significant relationship to the degree of differentiation, but tended to be down-regulated in poorly differentiated carcinoma. No significant relation was found between the expression of CD44v6 in primary and metastatic lesions.

CD44 variant 6 (CD44v6). expression as a progression marker in benign, premalignant and malignant oral epithelial tissues

The change in the expression pattern of CD44 variant 6 (CD44v6) protein in benign, premalignant, and malignant (SCC) oral epithelial lesions was studied immunohistochemically and compared with the pattern in normal mucosa in order to examine whether this gene can serve as a progression marker in patients with SCC. The principal findings is that CD44v6 expression was clearly downregulated in most cases of severe premalignant lesions as well as in most of the SCCs. The staining pattern and intensity varied according to the degree of dysplasia and to the degree of differentiation of the SCCs. Premalignant severe epithelial dysplasia cases with early features of invasion, not yet developed into SCC, showed distinctly downregulated expression of CD44v6 protein whereas hyperplastic and benign epithelial lesions (papilloma) expressed positive staining patterns comparable to those of the normal counterparts. The authors conclude that alteration in CD44v6 may occur as an early event in primary oral SCC development, as well as in premalignant severe epithelial dysplasia. It can thus, be used as a molecular progression marker when screening for oral cancer.

Massive Osteolysis of the Mandible With Subsequent Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome: A Case Report

tation rate, white blood cell count, and C-reactive protein suggesting the existence of chronic inflammation. At the time, a tentative diagnosis of chronic osteomyelitis of the mandible was made, but this remained as an open question because there was no history of severe inflammation of the mandible. A possible diagnosis of massive osteolysis was also suspected. Because the patient had heart disease (multifocal ventricular premature beats) and no discomfort from his jaw, regular follow-up was conducted instead of surgical treatment.

A biochemical evaluation of oral squamous cell carcinoma growth by measurement of specific activity of succinate dehydrogenase in the subrenal capsule assay

An auxiliary method for determination of chemosensitivity with the subrenal capsule assay (SRCA) was developed in which the specific activity of succinate dehydrogenase (SD) of tumor implanted beneath the renal capsule is measured. The appropriate conditions for measuring the specific activity of SD were determined. The chemosensitivity of tumors, derived from six xenograft lines originating from oral squamous cell carcinomas, to peplomycin (PEP), cisplatin (CDDP), and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) were evaluated by the SRCA and the nude mouse assay (NMA). The chemosensitivity evaluated by NMA displayed a higher degree of correlation with that determined by the improved SRCA than with that determined by the conventional SRCA. The correlations between overall accuracy of prediction with the NMA and those with the conventional SRCA and the improved SRCA were 72.2% and 88.9%, respectively. These findings suggest that our new assay may be useful for evaluation of chemosensitivity in the SRCA.