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Updated: Oct 19, 2026

Cell Population Analyses During Skin Carcinogenesis
06:53

Cell Population Analyses During Skin Carcinogenesis

Published on: August 21, 2013

Expression of sonic hedgehog signal transducers, patched and smoothened, in human basal cell carcinoma

M Tojo1, T Mori, H Kiyosawa

  • 1Department of Cell Science, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Fukushima Medical University School of Medicine, Fukushima City, Japan. tojo@cc.fmu.ac.jp

Pathology International
|October 3, 1999
PubMed

Insights

Mutations in patched (PTC) and smoothened (SMO) genes are linked to basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Enhanced PTC and SMO mRNA expression in nodular BCC suggests a role in tumor progression, differentiating it from superficial BCC.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is linked to mutations in the patched (PTC) gene, a key component of the sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling pathway.
  • The SHH pathway, involving PTC and smoothened (SMO) proteins, is crucial in development and implicated in BCC etiology.
  • Previous studies highlight the SHH signaling system's importance in basal cell carcinoma development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the expression patterns of patched (PTC) and smoothened (SMO) mRNA in different subtypes of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and normal skin.
  • To determine if PTC and SMO mRNA expression levels correlate with BCC tumor progression and histologic subtypes.

Main Methods:

  • Examined mRNA expression of ptc and smo genes in nodular and superficial BCC subtypes.
  • Compared gene expression in tumor tissues with normal human epidermis, appendages, and seborrheic keratosis.

Main Results:

  • PTC and SMO mRNA expression were significantly enhanced in the tumor nests of nodular BCC, particularly at advancing edges.
  • PTC and SMO mRNA expression were below detectable levels in superficial BCC cases studied.
  • No significant PTC or SMO mRNA signals were detected in normal human epidermis, appendages, or seborrheic keratosis.

Conclusions:

  • Enhanced PTC and SMO mRNA expression may be associated with the progression of nodular BCC, distinguishing it from superficial BCC.
  • Abnormal proliferation of follicular epithelial cells, potentially driven by PTC/SMO genetic changes and overexpression, may lead to BCC formation.

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