Premium
Changes in the expression of α v integrins in oral squamous cell carcinomas
Author(s) -
Jones Judith,
Watt Fiona M.,
Speight Paul M.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
journal of oral pathology and medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.887
H-Index - 83
eISSN - 1600-0714
pISSN - 0904-2512
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0714.1997.tb00023.x
Subject(s) - integrin , epithelium , pathology , alpha v beta 3 , biology , alpha (finance) , beta (programming language) , immunohistochemistry , cell adhesion molecule , cell , cancer research , microbiology and biotechnology , vitronectin , medicine , genetics , construct validity , nursing , computer science , patient satisfaction , programming language
Integrins are cell surface adhesion molecules that regulate normal cellular interactions; aberrant integrin expression is believed to play a role in tumour invasion and metastasis. The α v subunit is capable of forming heterodimers with several β subunits but not all the heterodimers expressed in oral epithelium have been investigated. We have examined the distribution of α v integrins in normal buccal mucosa and seventeen oral squamous cell carcinomas. Antibodies to the α v subunit and α v β 5 heterodimer stained normal epithelium, with strong expression in the basal layers and weaker staining in the more superficial layers. The β 3 and β 6 subunits were not expressed in normal epithelium. Anti‐α v and anti‐α v β 5 antibodies stained all the squamous cell carcinomas, but the pattern of expression was variable both within and between tumours. Poorly differentiated tumours showed the weakest staining and often had areas showing loss of expression. β 6 , was expressed in all of the carcinomas, indicating new expression of the α v β 6 integrin in malignant oral epithelium. These results suggest that alterations in α v integrins may contribute to the behaviour of malignant epithelium and that α v β 6 expression may play a role in tumour progression.