Overexpression of Survivin and Caspase 3 in Oral Carcinogenesis

Abstract

Survivin is an inhibitor of apoptosis protein that inhibits caspase 3 function. While cytoplasmic survivin suppresses apoptosis, nuclear survivin regulates cell division. Little is known about the subcellular localization of survivin in oral carcinogenesis. This study examined the subcellular distribution of these 2 proteins in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and premalignant lesions including oral leukoplakia (OL) with and without dysplasia. Expression of survivin and caspase 3 were immunohistochemically analyzed in 114 samples including OSCC, OL with and without dysplasia, and normal oral mucosa (NM). Cytoplasmic and nuclear positive cells were counted separately. The results were presented as the frequency of positive cases. The positive expression rates of cytoplasmic and nuclear survivin in OSCC were significantly higher than in NM, OL with and without dysplasia. NM showed a low rate of cytoplasmic survivin expression compared to OL with and without dysplasia. The numbers of cytoplasmic and nuclear expression of caspase 3 in OSCC were significantly higher than that of NM, OL with and without dysplasia. In conclusion, the overexpression of cytoplasmic survivin in OSCC and premalignant lesions suggest that suppression of apoptosis by survivin occurs at early and late stages of oral carcinogenesis. The elevated expression of nuclear survivin and caspase 3 in OSCC indicate that at the late stage survivin increases cell proliferation whereas caspase 3 promotes apoptosis.

Predictive value of p63, ki‐67, and survivin expression in oral leukoplakia: A tissue microarray study

“…As per the study by Poomsawat et al (), the survivin expression was positively associated with the ki‐67 expression in SCC of head and neck. The present study showed that there is statistically significant association between survivin and ki‐67 expressions for both dysplastic ( p = .01) and nondysplastic lesions ( p = .01).…”

“…Survivin is a protein that inhibits apoptosis (Altieri, ) and regulates cell division (Poomsawat et al, ; Stauber, Mann, & Knauer, ). The lack of regulation of apoptosis pathways is a fundamental process of carcinogenesis, although recognition of damage to the DNA is necessary for removal of defective cells (Poomsawat et al, ). The fact that a higher expression of survivin is observed in dysplastic lesions (37.5%) compared to nondysplastic lesions (16.7%), corroborates with this statement because in dysplastic lesions a greater number of epithelial alterations is expected.…”

“…Survivin is an anti‐apoptotic protein and a regulator of cell division. Its expression in premalignant oral lesions that progressed to SCC was significantly higher than that in lesions that did not develop the disease (Poomsawat, Punyasingh, & Vejchapipat, ).…”

Evaluation of apoptotic pathway in oral mucosa by smoking in a Brazilian Outpatient Smoking Cessation Program

“…2). Cytoplasmic survivin regulates the apoptosis and nuclear survivin cell division, and in this case the cytoplasmic expression represents apoptosis induction caused by smoking in the oral mucosa [10]. In the present study, it was not possible to associate cytoplasmic expression of survivin with the prognosis.…”

Effects of survivin on FVADT chemotherapy for refractory multiple myeloma

“…Patients with refractory MM are challenging to cure and have a poor prognosis (37). Previous studies have demonstrated that survivin has an important role in anti-apoptosis signaling by inhibiting the activity of caspase-3 and caspase-7 (38,39). The apoptosis index of survivin-positive tumors is low and has been associated with a poor prognosis (40).…”