Expression And Correlation Of Cancer Stem-like Cell Markers CD44,ALDH1,Nanog And Hypoxia Inducible Factor-1α In Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Objective: To analyze the expression and Correlation of Hypoxia inducible factor-1α and cancer stem-like cell markers CD44, ALDH1,NANOG in oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC).Methods: Expression of CD44, ALDH1, NANOG and HIF-1α in 40 cases of OSCC tissues, 10 cases of metastatic lymph node tissues, 10 cases of para-cancer tissues and 10 cases of normal lymph node tissues were detected using immunohistochemistry.The correlations of the expression of the makers and HIF-1α and their correlations to tumor differentiation,clinical stage, lymphoid metastasis were analyzed.Results:(1) Expression of CD44, ALDH1,NANOG and HIF-1α in oral squamous cell carcinoma tissues were remarkable higher than those in para-cancer tissues, with a rate of95.0%,32.5%,82.5%,82.5%,respectively.The differential expression rates of CD44, NANOG, HIF-1α in OSCC tissues and para-cancer tissues showed statistical significance. The expression rates of ALDH1 showed nosignificant difference between OSCC tissues and para-cancer tissues. In 10 metastatic lymph node tissues, expressions of CD44, ALDH1 and NANOG were all positive, while all negative in normal lymph node tissues.HIF-1αexpression were all negative in both metastatic and normal lymph node tissues.(2) Only expression of CD44 were positively correlated with HIF-1alpha expression in OSCC(P=0.027, r=0.498).(3).No correlations were found in the expression of CD44、ALDH1、NANOG and HIF-1α to tumor differentiation, histological type and lymphoid metastasis.Conclusion: Positive expressions of CD44, NANOG and HIF-1α in OSCC were higher than those of para-cancer tissues. Expression of CD44 showed significant correlation with HIF-1α expression. The combined examination of CD44, NANOG and HIF-1α may be significant for the early diagnosis of OSCC.