The Expression And Clinical Significance Of TAp73, DNp73 And P21 In Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma

To study the expression of TAp73, DNp73 and p21 proteins in tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) and adjacent noncancerous tissues, and furthermore analyze the correlation between the expression of TAp73, DNp73 and p21 proteins and patients' clinicopathological characteristics in TSCC, the expression of TAp73, DNp73 and p21 proteins were examined in 52 cases of TSCC and 15 cases of adjacent noncancerous tissues by using immunohistochemical staining method. The results showed that the positive expression rates of TAp73, DNp73 and p21 proteins in adjacent noncancerous tissues were 46.7%(7/15),13.3%(2/15) and 6.7%(1/15) respectively, while the positive expression rates of TAp73, DNp73 and p21 proteins in TSCC were 86.5%(45/52),76.9%(40/52) and 78.8%(41/52) respectively, having significant difference from normal groups, with Statistical significances (P<0.01). The overexpression of TAp73, DNp73 and p21 proteins in TSCC have no correlations with the follow factors:sex, age, tumor size, lymph node metastasis, histopathology grade and TNM stage (P>0.05). Postive correlations were found between overexpression of TAp73 and DNp73 proteins (P<0.05), between overexpression of TAp73 and p21 proteins (P<0.05), and also between overexpression of DNp73 and p21 proteins (P<0.01). The results demonstrate that overexpression of TAp73, DNp73 and p21 proteins all can serve as an indicator of TSCC for early diagnosis, and they may paly an important role in the early development of TSCC, and once cell malignant transformation is completed, the expression of three proteins aren't changed markedly. Furthermore, synergetic effect among the three proteins may exist on the occurrence and development of TSCC, suggesting that the derangement of cell cycle and the malignant cell proliferation are closely related to tumorigenesis of TSCC. It offers new theories and ideas for the research in the tumorigenesis of TSCC.