Abstract 3888: Expression of ABCG2, ALDH1A1, CD44, and CD44 variant 9 in human oral squamous cell carcinoma and its relationship with clinical factors

Abstract

Abstract [Background] A cancer stem cell (cancer initiating cell, CSC) is considered capable of self -replication, self-differentiation, drug resistance, and immune evasion. Recently, CSC has become increasingly important in the treatment of malignant tumors. Cancer stem cells express specific molecules termed CSC marker, including ATP-binding cassette, G2 subfamily (ABCG2), aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) 1A1, CD44, and CD44 variant 9 (CD44v9), and their expression has been reported to be the potential prognostic values. However, the prognostic values of ABCG2, ALDH1A1, CD44, and CD44v9 expression in patients with oral cancer are less understood. [Purpose] The aims of present study were to evaluate the expression of ABCG2, ALDH1A1, CD44, and CD44v9 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and to elucidate the relationships among the CSC marker expression, clinical stages, histological differentiation, classification of invasion mode, lymph node metastasis and disease-free survival rate. [Materials and Methods] Tissue specimens were obtains from 99 patients with OSCC after surgery or biopsy. Immunohistochemistry was used to assess ABCG2, ALDH1A1, CD44, and CD44v9 protein using at least 10% staining-positive cells as the definition of positive staining. [Results] Immunohistochemical analysis of 99 cases of OSCC showed that CD44 and CD44v9 expression were strongly detected in all OSCC compared with normal epithelial cells. Twenty eight (28.2%) cases of 99 OSCC patients expressed ABCG2. There was no relationship between ABCG2 expression and clinical stages, histological differentiation, metastasis, or disease-free survival rate. There was significant association between ABCG2 expression and classification of invasion mode. Otherwise, thirty one (31.3%) cases of 99 OSCC patients expressed ALDH1A1. There was no relationship between ALDH1A1 expression and clinical stagesor metastasis. However, there was significant association between ALDH1 expression and histological differentiation, or classification of invasion mode or disease-free survivalrate. [Conclusions] These findings suggested that the expression of ALDH1A1 as CSC markers in OSCC may be good marker indicating survival in patients with OSCC. Citation Format: Tetsuya Tamatani, Natsumi Takamaru, Makoto Kinouchi, Nobuyuki Kuribayashi, Daisuke Uchida, Hirokazu Nagai, Youji Miyamoto. Expression of ABCG2, ALDH1A1, CD44, and CD44 variant 9 in human oral squamous cell carcinoma and its relationship with clinical factors. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 3888. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-3888