OBJECTIVE: To examine the expression of apoptosis-related genes c-IAP2 and caspase-4 in head and cervical undifferentiation cell carcinoma, as well as to investigate the role and mechanism of the two apoptosis-related genes in head and cervical undifferentiation squamous cell carcinoma. METHOD: Sixty-six historily confirmed specimen of head and cervical undifferentiation squamous cell carcinoma were subjected for immunohistochemical staining to analyze the expression of c-IAP2 and caspase-4, in addition 5 cases of normal nasal mucosa tissue were selected as control. RESULT: 1. Higher level expression of c-IAP2 protein was detected in the head and cervical undifferentiation squamous cell carcinoma specimen compared with normal nasal mucosa(P < 0.05), and the expression of caspase-4 was more deletion in it than in normal nasal mucosa(P < 0.05). 2. The expression of c-IAP2 protein was positive correlation with clinical prognosis, not correlated with clinical staging. The expression of caspase-4 protein was negative correlated with clinical prognosis, not correlated with clinical staging, too. 3. The expression of c-IAP2 was negative correlated with the expression of caspase-4. CONCLUSION: It indicates that in tissue of head and cervical undifferentiation squamous cell carcinoma, c-IAP2 is activated while caspase-4 is restrained. The signal transduction pathway of apoptosis is arrested, leading to surviving of the tumor cells, which maybe directly associated with the developing of head and cervical undifferentiation squamous cell carcinoma, and also with the failure of tumor treatment.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the expression of apoptosis-related genes c-IAP2 and caspase-4 in head and cervical undifferentiation cell carcinoma, as well as to investigate the role and mechanism of the two apoptosis-related genes in head and cervical undifferentiation squamous cell carcinoma. METHOD: Sixty-six historily confirmed specimen of head and cervical undifferentiation squamous cell carcinoma were subjected for immunohistochemical staining to analyze the expression of c-IAP2 and caspase-4, in addition 5 cases of normal nasal mucosa tissue were selected as control. RESULT: 1. Higher level expression of c-IAP2 protein was detected in the head and cervical undifferentiation squamous cell carcinoma specimen compared with normal nasal mucosa(P < 0.05), and the expression of caspase-4 was more deletion in it than in normal nasal mucosa(P < 0.05). 2. The expression of c-IAP2 protein was positive correlation with clinical prognosis, not correlated with clinical staging. The expression of caspase-4 protein was negative correlated with clinical prognosis, not correlated with clinical staging, too. 3. The expression of c-IAP2 was negative correlated with the expression of caspase-4. CONCLUSION: It indicates that in tissue of head and cervical undifferentiation squamous cell carcinoma, c-IAP2 is activated while caspase-4 is restrained. The signal transduction pathway of apoptosis is arrested, leading to surviving of the tumor cells, which maybe directly associated with the developing of head and cervical undifferentiation squamous cell carcinoma, and also with the failure of tumor treatment.