Oral Health and Dental Management

Cancer stem cell marker aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma: An immunohistochemistry study

International Conference and Exhibition on Dentistry

March 18-20, 2015 Dubai, UAE

Dalia H El-Rouby

Posters-Accepted Abstracts: Oral Health Dent Manag

Abstract:

Background: Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 Expression (ALDH1) has been shown to be a cancer stem cell marker. This study aimed to evaluate the expression of ALDH1 in different grades of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC), and to correlate expression with pathological outcomes such as tumor stage, lymph node and distant metastases. Methods: Tissue sections cut from 45 archival blocks of OSCC were stained using an ALDH1 monoclonal antibody and expression was quantified by area percent of immunostaining and staining optical density using an image analyzer computer system. ANOVA test and Tukey?s post hoc test were used to evaluate statistical significance of difference between different grades or stages. Unpaired Student?s t test was used to evaluate significance of difference between lesions with and without lymph node metastasis. Results: ALDH1 expression varied based on tumor histological grade and clinical stage, with a significantly greater mean area percent of immunoexpression recorded in poorly differentiated lesions (P<0.0001). Moreover, the mean area percent of ALDH1 immunoexpression was significantly higher in tumors associated with lymph node or distant metastasis.On the other hand, the optical density of immunostaining didn?t significant differ in relation tumor grade, lymph node or distant metastasis. Expression was mainly cytoplasmic with occasional membranous staining and was localized mainly in basal cells, in cells at the periphery of the cell nests and in invading tumor cells. Conclusions: ALDH1 is involved in the development of oral SCC.Its expression increases in more aggressive lesions,suggesting a role in promoting the invasive and metastatic potential. Quantification based on area percent of immunoexpression may yield more accurate findings compared to evaluation of optical density.