Membrane connexin 43 acts as an independent prognostic marker in oral squamous cell carcinoma

  • Authors:
    • Phillipp Brockmeyer
    • Klaus Jung
    • Christina Perske
    • Henning Schliephake
    • Bernhard Hemmerlein
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  • Published online on: April 23, 2014     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2014.2394
  • Pages: 273-281
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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the expression and localization of connexin (Cx) 26, -43 and -45 in a group of 35 patients with primary oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) with the objective of making a more accurate disease prognosis. We analysed the expression of connexins in tissue samples of primary OSCC, matching oral mucosa free of dysplasia, and its associated lymph node metastases (LNM) by semi-quantitative immunohistochemistry of membrane, cytoplasmic and nuclear connexin expression. The levels of expression were correlated with the overall survival time (OS). Cx43 was overexpressed in tumour cells compared to epithelia in dysplasia-free mucosa. High membrane expression of Cx43 on tumour cells was the only statistically significant and independent prognostic factor of short OS (P=0.0088). Membrane expression of Cx43 in matching dysplasia-free mucosa acted similarly, but did not reach statistical significance (P=0.059). No correlation was found between the Cx26, Cx45 expression and OS. We conclude that Cx43 expression in dysplasia-free mucosa may indicate a very early stage of tumour promotion. Although overexpression of Cx43 is found in invasive tumours we only found membrane Cx43 expression to correlate with OS. This observation suggests that cytoplasmic Cx43 serves as storage and only membrane translocation may promote the formation of gap junctions and gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) with prognostic relevance.
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July-2014
Volume 45 Issue 1

Print ISSN: 1019-6439
Online ISSN:1791-2423

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Spandidos Publications style
Brockmeyer P, Jung K, Perske C, Schliephake H and Hemmerlein B: Membrane connexin 43 acts as an independent prognostic marker in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Int J Oncol 45: 273-281, 2014
APA
Brockmeyer, P., Jung, K., Perske, C., Schliephake, H., & Hemmerlein, B. (2014). Membrane connexin 43 acts as an independent prognostic marker in oral squamous cell carcinoma. International Journal of Oncology, 45, 273-281. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2014.2394
MLA
Brockmeyer, P., Jung, K., Perske, C., Schliephake, H., Hemmerlein, B."Membrane connexin 43 acts as an independent prognostic marker in oral squamous cell carcinoma". International Journal of Oncology 45.1 (2014): 273-281.
Chicago
Brockmeyer, P., Jung, K., Perske, C., Schliephake, H., Hemmerlein, B."Membrane connexin 43 acts as an independent prognostic marker in oral squamous cell carcinoma". International Journal of Oncology 45, no. 1 (2014): 273-281. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2014.2394