The Relationship Between Expression Of MKK4 And Metastasis In Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Objective:The study was aimed to explore the relationship between Mitogen-activated protein Kinase Kinase 4(MKK4) and metastasis in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), detecting the expression of MKK4mRNA and protein in primary tumour and metastatic lymph node lesions of OSCC, analyzing the correlation and clinical significance relative to metastasis of OSCC and pathological features,discussing the function and significance of MKK4 in the process of invasion and metastasis of OSCC.Methods:Expression levels of MKK4 protein were examined in 75 cases of paraffin-embedded OSCC samples(27 cases of without metastasis of lymph node group,48 cases of metastasis of lymph node group) and 48 cases of corresponding lymph nodes was detected by immunohistochemistry, selecting 20 cases of adjacent tissue at the same period surgical resection as the control group.Expression levels of MKK4mRNA were examined in 38 cases of fresh OSCC samples(22 cases of without metastasis of lymph node group,16 cases of metastasis of lymph node group) and 6 cases of corresponding lymph nodes was detected by Semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Selecting 13 cases of adjacent tissue at the same period surgical resection as the control group.Analyses the relationship between the expression of MKK4 protein, MKK4mRNA and metastasis in OSCC;And analyses the relationship between the expression of MKK4 protein and the parameters of age,gender,grade of histology,clinical stage.Results:The expression of MKK4 in 48 cases of metastasis of lymph node group was higher than 27 cases of without metastasis of lymph node group in 75 cases of paraffin-embedded OSCC samples(P<0.05).The expression of MKK4 in 48 cases of metastatic lymph node lesions was found higher than 48 cases of primary site of OSCC (P<0.05).The expression of MKK4 in 75 cases of primary OSCC samples was significantly higher than 20 cases of adjacent tissures of OSCC (P<0.01).There was no correlation between the expression of MKK4 and age, gender , primary site, size of tumor ,grade of histologyseparately (P>0.05). The expression of MKK4mRNA in 16 cases of metastasis of lymph node group was found stronger than 22 cases of without metastasis of lymph node group in 38 cases of fresh OSCC samples (P<0.01). The expression of MKK4 in 6 cases of matched metastatic lymph node lesions was stronger than 16 cases of primary tumour (P<0.05). The expression of MKK4 in 38 cases of primary OSCC samples was significantly stronger than 13 cases of adjacent tissures of OSCC(P<0.01).The expression of MKK4mRNA was positively associated with that of MKK4 protein(r=0.877,P<0.01).Conclusions:1,The up-regulation of MKK4 protein and mRNA may be related with the metastasis of OSCC, prove that the expression level changes of MKK4 may be help to evaluate the metastasis risk and prognosis of OSCC. 2,The expression of MKK4 protein and mRNA in metastasis of lymph node group was higher than without metastasis of lymph node group in OSCC.The expression of MKK4 and mRNA in metastatic lymph node lesions was higher than primary site of OSCC,prove that MKK4 play a promoted role in OSCC of the metastasis process.3,The expression of MKK4 protein and mRNA in OSCC was significantly stronger than in adjacent tissures of OSCC,which may be reflected that MKK4 play a role in tumor occurrence and development process.