2Department of Oncologic Cytology, Istanbul University, Institute of Oncology, Istanbul OBJECTIVES
Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are a class of functionally related proteins, the expression of which is increased when cells are exposed to elevated temperatures or other stresses, including infection, irradiation, heavy metals, ethanol, and oxidants. The aim of this study was to investigate the significance of HSP60, HSP70 and HSP27 as prognostic factors in different stages of oral carcinogenesis by immunohistochemical analysis.
METHODS
Twenty specimens of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC)
of the oral cavity were immunostained for HSPs to expose
differences in stainability among normal epithelium (n=20)
and leukoplakia (n=20) as dysplasia.
RESULTS
Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that OSCC cells were
positive for all of HSP60, HSP70 and HSP27. Leukoplakia
cases were positive for HSP70 and HSP27, but stained with
variability for HSP60. Normal epithelium expressed HSP60
and to a lesser extent HSP70, while HSP27 were hardly
ever expressed. The HSP70 and HSP27 stainings in OSCC
were significantly higher than in normal epithelium, and
demonstrated almost the same staining character as with
leukoplakia.
CONCLUSION
Our results demonstrated that HSP immunochemistry revealed
changes in especially HSP70 and HSP27 expression during
tumorigenesis of squamous epithelium of the oral cavity.