Objective: To examine the expression of apoptosis-related genes c-IAP2 and caspase-4 in sinonasal squamous carcinoma. To investigate the role and mechanism of the two apoptosis-related genes in nasal cavity and sinus squamons carcinoma.
Methods: Forty-one pathologically confirmed specimens of nasal cavity and sinus squamons carcinoma were subjected for immunohistochemical staining to analyze the expression of c-IAP2 and caspase-4, in addition 10 normal nasal mucosa were used as control.
Results: The positive rate of c-IAP2 in sinonasal squamons carcinoma was 87.8%, among which 14 cases were strongly stained(+ + +), 15 cases were stained(+ +), 7 cases were stained (+), only 5 cases were negative. In 10 normal control tissues, no case was stained(+ + +), 2 cases were stained (+ +), 3 cases were stained(+), the other 5 cases were negative. Higher level expression of c-IAP2 protein was detected more often in squamons carcinoma specimens than that in normal nasal mucosa. There was statistically significant difference between the two groups for the staining(P < 0.05). The expression of c-IAP2 was not correlated with clinical staging (P > 0.05), but there were positive correlation with clinical prognosis (P < 0.01) and pathological classification (P < 0.01); The positive rate of caspase-4 in nasal cavity and sinus squamons carcinoma was 58.5%, among which 4 cases were strongly stained (+ + +), 7 cases were stained (+ +), 13 case was stained(+), 17 cases were negative. The expression of caspase-4 protein was more deletion in squamons carcinoma specimens than that in control group, there was statistically significant difference between the two groups for the staining (P < 0.05). The expression of caspase-4 protein was negatively correlated with clinical prognosis (P < 0.01) and pathological classification ( P < 0.01), not correlated with clinical staging(P > 0.05). The expression of c-IAP2 was negativelly correlated with the experssion of caspase-4.
Conclusions: The results indicates that in sinonasal squamous carcinoma, c-IAP2 is activated, while caspase-4 is restrained, the signal transduction pathway of apoptosis is arrested, leading to surviving of tumor cells, this maybe directly associated with the development of sinonasal squamons carcinoma, and with the failure of tumor trentment.