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Expression of Wnt gene family and frizzled receptors in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas

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Abstract

Genes of the Wnt and Frizzled class, expressed in HNSCC tissue and cell lines, have an established role in cell morphogenesis and differentiation, and also they have oncogenic properties. We studied Wnt and Fz genes as potential tumor-associated markers in HNSCC by qPCR. Expression levels of Wnt and Fz genes in 22 unique frozen samples from HNSCC were measured. We also assessed possible correlation between the expression levels obtained in cancer samples in relation to clinicopathologic outcome. Wnt-1 was not expressed in the majority of the HNSCC studied, whereas Wnt-5A was the most strongly expressed by the malignant tumors. Wnt-10B expression levels were related with higher grade of undifferentiation. Related to Fz genes, Fz-5 showed more expression levels in no-affectation of regional lymph nodes. Kaplan–Meier survival analyses suggest a reduced time of survival for low and high expression of Wnt-7A and Fz-5 mRNA, respectively. qPCR demonstrated that HNSCC express Wnt and Fz members, and suggested that Wnt and Fz signaling is activated in HNSCC cells.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Mrs. M. Haz Conde and I. Santamarina Caínzos for technical support and S. Pértega Díaz for statistical assistance. S.M. Díaz Prado is supported by an Isidro Parga Pondal research contract by Xunta de Galicia (A Coruña, Galicia, Spain). Cancer research in our laboratory is supported by “Fundación Juan Canalejo-Marítimo de Oza”.

Authors’ disclosures of potential conflicts of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Authors’ contributions

Conception and design: S.M. Díaz Prado, L.M. Antón Aparicio.

Provision of study materials and patients: J.L. López Cedrún, S. Sironvalle Soliva.

Collection and assembly of data: S.M. Díaz Prado, G. Aparicio Gallego, V. Medina Villaamil.

Data analysis and interpretation: S.M. Díaz Prado, L.M. Antón Aparicio, M. Blanco Calvo.

Manuscript writing: S.M. Díaz Prado, L.M. Antón Aparicio, R. García Campelo, M Valladares Ayerbes.

Final approval of manuscript: S.M. Díaz Prado, V. Medina Villaamil, G. Aparicio Gallego, M. Blanco Calvo, J.L. López Cedrún, S. Sironvalle Soliva, M. Valladares Ayerbes, R. García Campelo, L.M. Antón Aparicio.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medicine Department, University of La Coruña, La Coruña, Spain

    Silvia Maria Díaz Prado & Luis M. Antón Aparicio

  2. Research Unit, Biomedical Research Institute (INIBIC), Complexo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña, La Coruña, Spain

    Silvia Maria Díaz Prado, Vanessa Medina Villaamil, Guadalupe Aparicio Gallego, Moisés Blanco Calvo & Manuel Valladares Ayerbes

  3. Maxillofacial Surgery Service, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña, La Coruña, Spain

    José Luis López Cedrún & Sheila Sironvalle Soliva

  4. Medical Oncology Service, Complexo Hospitalario Universitario A Coruña, As Xubias S/N. 15.006, La Coruña, Spain

    Manuel Valladares Ayerbes, Rosario García Campelo & Luis M. Antón Aparicio

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  1. Silvia Maria Díaz Prado
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  2. Vanessa Medina Villaamil
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  3. Guadalupe Aparicio Gallego
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Correspondence to Luis M. Antón Aparicio.

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Díaz Prado, S.M., Medina Villaamil, V., Aparicio Gallego, G. et al. Expression of Wnt gene family and frizzled receptors in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. Virchows Arch 455, 67–75 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00428-009-0793-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00428-009-0793-z

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