Purpose: To investigate the expression of αB-crystallin and its possible role of anti-apoptosis in oral verrucous carcinoma.
Methods: The expression of αB-crystallin and activated caspase-3 was detected in oral verrucous carcinoma, oral squamous carcinoma and normal mucosa by immunohistochemistry, and their relationship was investigated. SPSS 16.0 software package was used for statistical analysis. Nonparametric test and spearman correlation test were performed.
Results: The expression of αB-crystallin in oral verrucous carcinoma and oral squamous carcinoma was significantly higher than that in normal mucosa(P<0.05). And in oral verrucous carcinoma, the increase of expression of αB-crystallin coincided with the decrease of expression of activated caspase-3(P<0.05).
Conclusion: αB-crystallin may play a role of anti-apoptosis by inhibiting the activation of caspase-3 in oral verrucous carcinoma.