Expression of BMI1 and ZEB1 in epithelial-mesenchymal transition of tongue squamous cell carcinoma

Kurihara,Kinue; Isobe,Tomohide; Yamamoto,Gou; Tanaka,Yoichi; Katakura,Akira; Tachikawa,Tetsuhiko

doi:10.3892/or.2015.4032

Expression of BMI1 and ZEB1 in epithelial-mesenchymal transition of tongue squamous cell carcinoma

Authors:
- Kinue Kurihara
- Tomohide Isobe
- Gou Yamamoto
- Yoichi Tanaka
- Akira Katakura
- Tetsuhiko Tachikawa
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Affiliations: Department of Oral Medicine, Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Tokyo Dental College, Ichikawa, Chiba 272-8513, Japan, Division of Pathology, Department of Oral Diagnostic Sciences, School of Dentistry, Showa University, Shinagawa‑ku, Tokyo 142-8555, Japan, Division of Surgical Pathology, Clinical Laboratory, Ichikawa General Hospital, Ichikawa, Chiba 272‑8513, Japan, Innovative Research Center of Oral Cancer, Showa University, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 142-8555, Japan
Published online on: June 5, 2015 https://doi.org/10.3892/or.2015.4032
Pages: 771-778

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Abstract

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a crucial event required for the invasion and progression of carcinogenesis, inducing stem-like properties in epithelial cells. In the present study, the expression of BMI1, which controls self-renewal in stem cells, as well as that of ZEB1, a transcription factor that regulates EMT, was evaluated for its role in EMT and the carcinogenic processes of tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC). Collagen invasion assays using two TSCC cells and 64 tongue specimens (32 carcinomas and 32 dysplasias) were employed and analyzed in the present study. We assessed the protein and mRNA expression levels of BMI1, ZEB1, vimentin and E-cadherin in the two cell lines and tumor tissues. The protein and mRNA expression of BMI1 and ZEB1 occurred at the invasion of TSCC. The elevated levels of BMI1 and ZEB1 were accompanied by the downregulation of E-cadherin and upregulation of vimentin at the invasive front, indicative of EMT in vitro and in vivo. The results showed that BMI1 and ZEB1 are important factors in association with the promotion of EMT and invasion of TSCC.

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