Laminin-5 gamma 2 chain expression is associated with intensity of tumor budding and density of stromal myofibroblasts in oral squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide. Laminin-5 gamma 2 chain (laminin-5 γ2) is a protein associated to a migratory phenotype in epithelial neoplastic cells. Stromal myofibroblasts also play a significant role in tumor invasion, due to its ability to modify the extracellular matrix. Tumor budding is a morphologic marker of tumor invasion. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of laminin-5 γ2 in OSCC and its association with intensity of tumor budding and density of stromal myofibroblasts.
METHODS: Paraffin-embedded archival samples of 57 OSCC patients were evaluated. Immunohistochemistry was employed to detect laminin-5 γ2, alpha smooth muscle actin (marker of stromal myofibroblasts), and multicytokeratin (to identify OSCC cells in tumor budding evaluation). Laminin-5 γ2 expression and its association with intensity of tumor budding and density of stromal myofibroblasts were analyzed. Association among intensity of tumor budding and density of stromal myofibroblasts was also evaluated.
RESULTS: Higher laminin-5 γ2 expression was associated with high-intensity tumor budding (P < 0.05) and with higher density of stromal myofibroblasts (P < 0.05). Moreover, high-intensity tumor budding was associated with higher density of stromal myofibroblasts (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: In OSCC, higher laminin-5 γ2 expression is associated with high-intensity tumor budding and with higher density of stromal myofibroblasts, suggesting that this expression is related to the establishment of an invasive phenotype of neoplastic cells and a permissive environment for tumor invasion in this neoplasia.