Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) biomarkers – E-cadherin, beta-catenin, APC and Vimentin – in oral squamous cell carcinogenesis and transformation

SummaryObjectivesTo investigate immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis of E-cadherin, β-catenin, APC and Vimentin for prediction of oral malignant transformation.Materials and methodsImmunoreactivity for E-cadherin, β-catenin, APC and Vimentin were determined for 100 oral biopsies classified as normal, mild dysplasia, moderate-severe dysplasia or OSCC, using the IHC scoring or label index scoring systems. Co-expression of biomarkers and correlation with histopathological grading was analysed. Vimentin and E-cadherin results were confirmed by RT-PCR and further investigated in vitro using a novel organotypic cell invasion model based on human dermis.ResultsA trend for decreased E-cadherin expression but increased Vimentin expression that correlated with increased disease severity was observed. Epithelial β-catenin localisation shifted from being membranous to cytoplasmic/nuclear with increased histopathological grade severity. Relative to normal, APC expression was decreased for mild dysplasia but increased for OSCC. Co-expression of β-catenin, APC and Vimentin (Spearman rank correlation) suggests interdependence of these molecules and involvement of the Wnt pathway in oral malignant transformation. Relative mRNA expression of E-cadherin for dysplasia and OSCC were less than 1% of normal tissue values, and mRNA expression of Vimentin was 3.7 times higher for OSCC than normal. After 63 days of organotypic culture neoplastic oral keratinocytes (PE/CA-PJ15) lost expression of E-cadherin and gained expression of Vimentin relative to their non-invasive counterparts in the epithelium.ConclusionsTrends in the expression of EMT markers – E-cadherin, β-catenin, APC and Vimentin – suggest their involvement in oral carcinogenesis via Wnt pathway dysregulation. Aberrant expression of β-catenin, APC and Vimentin are potential markers of malignant transformation.