Expressions And The Clinical Significances Of SOX2 And Survivin In Salivary Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma

Objective: Our study aim to analyze the expression of SOX2 and Survivin in salivary adenoid cystic carcinoma(SACC) and explore their clinic role in tumor occurrence and development. Combinning clinical and pathological data, we try to clarify the possible mechanism of SACC treatment resistance. Methods: These tissues were subdivided into two groups: the SACC tissues were considered as experimental group, and adjacent normal glandular tissues were considered as control group. Either group was testing the SOX2 and Survivin expression level through immunohistochemistry, RT-PCR and western blot. Results: 1. Immunohistochemistry showed that: 1) SOX2 mainly expressed in cell nucleus. In experimental group the positive rate reached 47.06%(16/34), however, it was negative in control group. The P-value between two groups was statistically significant. The SOX2 positive rate was 28.57%(6/21) in clinical stage ?-?, and 76.92%(10/13) in clinical stage ?-?(P<0.05). The SOX2 expression level was significant high in solid histological subtype than in tubular-cribriform histological subtype(P < 0.05). Overexpression of SOX2 was related to metastasis and recurrence(P<0.05). There was no statistically difference among SOX2, age, sex, tumor location and mortality(P>0.05). 2) Survivin mainly expressed in cell cytoplasm. In experimental group the positive rate reached 67.65%(23/34), however, it was negative in control group. The P-value between two groups was statistically significant. The Survivin positive rate was 61.90%(13/21) in clinical stage ?-?, and 76.92%(10/13) in clinical stage ?-?(P>0.05). The Survivin expression level was significant high in solid histological subtype than in tubular-cribriform histological subtype(P < 0.05). Overexpression of Survivin was related to metastasis(P<0.05). There were no significantly difference among Survivin, age, sex, tumor location, recurrence and mortality(P > 0.05). 3) Spearman rank correlation analysis revealed that SOX2 and Survivin were highly related in experimental group(r= 0.482, P = 0.004).2. RT-PCR and western blot results showed that the mRNA and protein levels of SOX2 and Survivin were considerably higher in the experimental group than in the control group(P<0.01). Conclusion: 1. The mRNA and protein expression levels of SOX2 and Survivin in SACC tissue were considerably higher than those in adjacent normal glandular tissue. Therefore we were considering them as oncogene. 2. SOX2 might be considered as staging biomarker of SACC. The expression of SOX2 was different in different histological subtypes of SACC. Indicating it was involved in histological differentiation. 3. Overexpression of SOX2 and Survivin in SACC might indicate the increase risk of recurrence and metastasis, and become the key factor to predict a poor prognosis. 4. There were significant correlations between SOX2 and Survivin in the SACC. These two factors might both participate in the occurrence and development of SACC through SOX2/Survivin pathway, also possibly involve in the anti-apoptotic and treatment resistance of SACC.