Epithelial Cell Transforming Sequence 2 in Human Oral Cancer

Epithelial cell transforming sequence 2 (ECT2) is a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for Rho family GTPase, which has been implicated in the malignant phenotype of human cancers. Little is known about the effect of a high level of ECT2 in regulating oral cancer cell behavior. In this study, we investigated the involvement of ECT2 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC)., and down-regulation of cyclin D1, cyclin E, and CDK4. These data suggested that the elevated Cip/Kip family induced inhibition of the cyclin D1-CDK complex activity leading to cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase.Our results proposed for the first time that ECT2 is an indicator of cellular proliferation in OSCCs and that ECT2 might be a potential therapeutic target for the development of new treatments for OSCCs

Case Report Maxillary Swelling as the First Evidence of Multiple Myeloma

Multiple myeloma is a malignant neoplasm of plasma cells characterized by proliferation of a single clone of abnormal immunoglobulin-secreting plasma cells. Since the amount of hemopoietic bone marrow is decreased in the maxilla, oral manifestations of multiple myeloma are less common in the maxilla than in the mandible. We report the case of 33-year-old Japanese man who presented with a mass in the right maxillary alveolar region. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance images showed a soft tissue mass in the right maxilla eroding the anterior and lateral walls of the maxillary sinus and extending into the buccal space. The biopsy results, imaging, and laboratory investigations led to the diagnosis of multiple myeloma. This case report suggests that oral surgeons and dentists should properly address oral manifestations as first indications of multiple myeloma

MicroRNAs in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) and Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC)

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, noncoding RNAs which regulate cell differentiation, proliferation, development, cell cycle, and apoptosis. Expression profiling of miRNAs has been performed and the data show that some miRNAs are upregulated or downregulated in cancer. Several studies suggest that the expression profiles of miRNAs are associated with clinical outcomes. However, the set of miRNAs with altered expressing differs depending on the type of cancer, suggesting that it is important to understand which miRNAs are related to which cancers. Therefore, this review aimed to discuss potentially crucial miRNAs in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) and oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC)

Treatment of an Extensive Maxillary Cyst Using Nasal Airway and Balloon Catheter Devices

Introduction. Large maxillary cysts occasionally expand into the maxilla and erode the maxillary sinus and nasal cavity. The Caldwell-Luc procedure is the recommended treatment for large maxillary sinus cysts. However, it is hard to preserve the nasal space in the case of large maxillary sinus cysts that penetrate into the nasal cavity. Methods. A 22-year-old man who had large maxillary sinus cysts was referred to our department for a surgical treatment. After removing the cyst from the maxillary sinus using the Caldwell-Luc procedure, we used nasal airway and balloon catheter devices to preserve the space of the inferior nasal meatus and maxillary sinus. These devices were removed 10 days postoperatively. Insertion and removal of both devices were simple and painless. Findings. The nasal airway and balloon catheter devices were useful for performing maxillary sinus surgery to remove large cysts. Our method was satisfactorily safe and was an effective minimally invasive treatment that preserved the space of the inferior nasal meatus and maxillary sinus

Annexin A10 in human oral cancer: biomarker for tumoral growth via G1/S transition by targeting MAPK signaling pathways.

BACKGROUND: Annexins are calcium and phospholipid binding proteins that form an evolutionary conserved multigene family. Considerable evidence indicates that annexin A10 (ANXA10) is involved in tumoral progression, although little is known about its role in human oral carcinogenesis. In this study, we investigated the involvement of ANXA10 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: ANXA10 mRNA and protein expressions were assessed by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting, and we conducted a proliferation assay and cell-cycle analysis in ANXA10 knockdown cells in vitro. We evaluated the correlation between the ANXA10 expression status in 100 primary OSCCs and the clinicopathological features by immunohistochemistry. ANXA10 mRNA and protein expression levels were up-regulated in all cellular lines examined (n = 7, p<0.05). ANXA10 knockdown cells showed that cellular proliferation decreased by inactivation of extracellular regulated kinase (ERK) (p<0.05), and cell-cycle arrest at the G1 phase resulted from up-regulation of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors. ANXA10 protein expression in primary OSCCs was also significantly greater than in normal counterparts (p<0.05), and higher expression was correlated with tumoral size (p = 0.027). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results proposed for the first time that ANXA10 is an indicator of cellular proliferation in OSCCs. Our results suggested that ANXA10 expression might indicate cellular proliferation and ANXA10 might be a potential therapeutic target for the development of new treatments for OSCCs