Abstract
BackgroundAs oral cavity is the main location of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) latency and shedding, and as EBV-encoded latent membrane protein-1 (LMP-1) has a crucial role in cell transformation, association between EBV infection, LMP-1 expression and oral malignancy is of interest. Although EBV DNA has been detected in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), studies on LMP-1 expression in OSCC and oral potentially malignant disorders are scarce and still controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the expression of LMP-1 in OSCC and oral leukoplakia (OL).MethodsBiopsy specimens of 36 OSCC, 69 OL with and without dysplasia and 10 normal oral mucosa were assessed for the expression of LMP-1 using immunohistochemistry. In each case, at least 1000 cells were counted. Cells with staining were considered positive, classified by location as nuclear, cytoplasmic and nuclear plus cytoplasmic staining. Percentage of positive cells at different locations and of total positive cells were determined. For statistical analysis, SPSS version 21 was used. Statistical significance was considered at p < 0.05.ResultsLMP-1 was expressed in all studied specimens. In terms of percentage of total positive cells, LMP-1 expression was higher from normal mucosa (26.36%), OL without dysplasia (28.03%), OL with dysplasia (34.15%), to the significantly highest, (59.67%) in OSCC. In addition, cells with nuclear staining alone, cytoplasmic staining alone and cells with nuclear plus cytoplasmic staining were significantly higher in OSCC compared to those of normal mucosa, OL with and without dysplasia.ConclusionsLMP-1 was overexpressed in OSCC. Our analysis on subcellular localization of LMP-1 in OSCC revealed prominent distinguished pattern, cytoplasmic distribution. Further studies in cell lines and animals are required to clarify the association between this EBV-encoded proteins and oral carcinogenesis.
Highlights
As oral cavity is the main location of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) latency and shedding, and as EBV-encoded latent membrane protein-1 (LMP-1) has a crucial role in cell transformation, association between EBV infection, LMP-1 expression and oral malignancy is of interest
With limited and controversial reports on LMP-1 expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and oral potentially malignant disorders, this study evaluated the expression of LMP-1 in OSCC and oral leukoplakia (OL)
Specimens of normal oral mucosa were collected from buccal mucosa or gingiva of healthy patients who went through surgical removal of impacted tooth or periodontal surgery
Summary
As oral cavity is the main location of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) latency and shedding, and as EBV-encoded latent membrane protein-1 (LMP-1) has a crucial role in cell transformation, association between EBV infection, LMP-1 expression and oral malignancy is of interest. EBV DNA has been detected in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), studies on LMP-1 expression in OSCC and oral potentially malignant disorders are scarce and still controversial. The viral proteins of these genes may participate in carcinogenesis by targeting the various hallmarks of EBV infection has been found in normal oral epithelium [4, 5], oral leukoplakia (OL) [4], oral lichen planus [4, 5] and in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) [4,5,6,7]. In Thailand, a study conducted in a Northeast province found EBV DNA in oral exfoliated cells of 45% of OSCC patients [7]. A recent study in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissues found LMP-1 gene and its expression in OSCC, oral epithelial dysplasia as well as in morphologically healthy tongue and gingiva of different patients [10]
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