Concomitant overexpression of Activin A and p63 is associated with poor outcome in oral cancer patients

Abstract

Background: The present study aims to comprehensively analyze expression of Activin signaling components in oral cancer and to determine the predominant Activin expressed and its influence on prognosis. As our preliminary studies indicated regulation of Activin gene by p63, we also propose to assess its correlation with p63/ p53 in oral tumors and its impact on outcome. Methods: Expression of Activin subunits, receptors, and regulators was assessed by qRT-PCR and Western blotting. Correlation between Activin A and p63/p53 expression was evaluated in oral tumors by immunohistochemistry and their association with clinical outcome was determined by Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression. Results: Activin βA transcripts were upregulated (P = .013) in oral dysplastic and cancer cells compared with normal oral mucosa. Expression of Activin receptors and regulators was also altered. Activin βA protein was significantly upregulated in oral tumors and adjacent normal tissues compared with normal oral mucosa (P < .0001). Expression of Activin βA and p63 significantly correlated in oral tumors, correlation being stronger in tumors with high p53 (r = −.394, P = .005). Activin βA overexpression was associated with advanced tumor stage (P = .021), positive nodes (P = .045), poor recurrence-free survival (P = .013), and overall survival (P = .024), while its concomitant overexpression with p63 was a better predictor of recurrence-free survival

Elevated translationally controlled tumour protein promotes oral cancer progression and poor outcome

“…TCTP is a translationally regulated protein, 8 and that could be the reason for its comparable protein levels but not transcript levels in dysplastic and OSCC cells. We have used NOM as a control for our OSCC cell lines, as done in our previous publications, 21,22 as we were unable to procure immortalised normal oral cells.…”

“…OSCC cells. We have used NOM as a control for our OSCC cell lines, as done in our previous publications, 21,22 as we were unable to procure immortalised normal oral cells.…”

Exploring Possible Diagnostic Precancerous Biomarkers for Oral Submucous Fibrosis: A Narrative Review

“…However, when patients were stratified based on the combined expression of activin A and p63, the group with overexpression of both proteins exhibited the lowest recurrence-free (p = 0.005) and overall survival rates [59]. Overexpression of p63 was not only observed in oral cavity cancer (OFC) sample tissues but also found in other cancerous mucosa, such as muscle-invasive bladder cancer, colorectal cancer, and lung disease samples [60].…”