Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are a heterogeneous group of tumors with variable presentation and clinical behavior. Despite improvements in surgical and radiation therapy techniques, the 5-year survival rate has not improved significantly over the past decades. Thus, there is an urgent need to identify novel markers that may allow for the development of personalized therapeutic approaches. In the present study we evaluated the prognostic role of the expression of genes related to the induction of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT). To this aim, a consecutive series of 69 HNSCC were analyzed for the expression of TWIST1, TWIST2, SNAI1, SNAI2, E-Cadherin, N-Cadherin and Vimentin. TWIST1, TWIST2, SNAI1 and SNAI2 were significantly overexpressed in HNSCC, with TWIST2, SNAI1 and SNAI2 being more markedly increased in tumors compared to normal mucosae. The expression of TWIST1 and SNAI2 was associated with upregulation of mesenchymal markers, but failed to correlate with pathological parameters or clinical behaviour. In contrast, we found that upregulation of TWIST2, which was independent of the activation of a mesenchymal differentiation program, correlated with poor differentiation grade (p=0.016) and shorter survival (p=0.025), and identifies a subset of nodepositive oral cavity/pharynx cancer patients with very poor prognosis (p
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1165-1175 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Oncotarget |
| Volume | 2 |
| Issue number | 12 |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 2011 |
Fingerprint
Keywords
- EMT
- HNSCC
- SNAI1
- SNAI2
- TWIST1
- TWIST2
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Oncology
Cite this
Overexpression of TWIST2 correlates with poor prognosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. / Gasparotto, Daniela; Polesel, Jerry; Marzotto, Alessandra; Colladel, Roberta; Piccinin, Sara; Modena, Piergiorgio; Grizzo, Alessandra; Sulfaro, Sandro; Serraino, Diego; Barzan, Luigi; Doglioni, Claudio; Maestro, Roberta.
In: Oncotarget, Vol. 2, No. 12, 12.2011, p. 1165-1175.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Overexpression of TWIST2 correlates with poor prognosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas
AU - Gasparotto, Daniela
AU - Polesel, Jerry
AU - Marzotto, Alessandra
AU - Colladel, Roberta
AU - Piccinin, Sara
AU - Modena, Piergiorgio
AU - Grizzo, Alessandra
AU - Sulfaro, Sandro
AU - Serraino, Diego
AU - Barzan, Luigi
AU - Doglioni, Claudio
AU - Maestro, Roberta
PY - 2011/12
Y1 - 2011/12
N2 - Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are a heterogeneous group of tumors with variable presentation and clinical behavior. Despite improvements in surgical and radiation therapy techniques, the 5-year survival rate has not improved significantly over the past decades. Thus, there is an urgent need to identify novel markers that may allow for the development of personalized therapeutic approaches. In the present study we evaluated the prognostic role of the expression of genes related to the induction of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT). To this aim, a consecutive series of 69 HNSCC were analyzed for the expression of TWIST1, TWIST2, SNAI1, SNAI2, E-Cadherin, N-Cadherin and Vimentin. TWIST1, TWIST2, SNAI1 and SNAI2 were significantly overexpressed in HNSCC, with TWIST2, SNAI1 and SNAI2 being more markedly increased in tumors compared to normal mucosae. The expression of TWIST1 and SNAI2 was associated with upregulation of mesenchymal markers, but failed to correlate with pathological parameters or clinical behaviour. In contrast, we found that upregulation of TWIST2, which was independent of the activation of a mesenchymal differentiation program, correlated with poor differentiation grade (p=0.016) and shorter survival (p=0.025), and identifies a subset of nodepositive oral cavity/pharynx cancer patients with very poor prognosis (p
AB - Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are a heterogeneous group of tumors with variable presentation and clinical behavior. Despite improvements in surgical and radiation therapy techniques, the 5-year survival rate has not improved significantly over the past decades. Thus, there is an urgent need to identify novel markers that may allow for the development of personalized therapeutic approaches. In the present study we evaluated the prognostic role of the expression of genes related to the induction of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT). To this aim, a consecutive series of 69 HNSCC were analyzed for the expression of TWIST1, TWIST2, SNAI1, SNAI2, E-Cadherin, N-Cadherin and Vimentin. TWIST1, TWIST2, SNAI1 and SNAI2 were significantly overexpressed in HNSCC, with TWIST2, SNAI1 and SNAI2 being more markedly increased in tumors compared to normal mucosae. The expression of TWIST1 and SNAI2 was associated with upregulation of mesenchymal markers, but failed to correlate with pathological parameters or clinical behaviour. In contrast, we found that upregulation of TWIST2, which was independent of the activation of a mesenchymal differentiation program, correlated with poor differentiation grade (p=0.016) and shorter survival (p=0.025), and identifies a subset of nodepositive oral cavity/pharynx cancer patients with very poor prognosis (p
KW - EMT
KW - HNSCC
KW - SNAI1
KW - SNAI2
KW - TWIST1
KW - TWIST2
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84863516199&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84863516199&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
VL - 2
SP - 1165
EP - 1175
JO - Oncotarget
JF - Oncotarget
SN - 1949-2553
IS - 12
ER -