Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 5, 2026
Multi-photon Imaging of Tumor Cell Invasion in an Orthotopic Mouse Model of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Published on: July 25, 2011
Evaluation of caspase-3 and caspase-8 deregulation in tongue squamous cell carcinoma, based on immunohistochemistry
D Andressakis1, A C Lazaris, E Tsiambas
1Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, St Savas Anticancer Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Aims:
To investigate the potential role of caspase-3 and caspase-8 protein expression in the biological behaviour of tongue squamous cell carcinoma.
Materials And Methods:
We conducted immunohistochemical analyses of 87 specimens of primary tongue squamous cell carcinoma, using monoclonal anti-caspase-3 and anti-caspase-8 antibodies. A digital image analysis assay was also performed in order to evaluate the results.
Results:
Reduced expression of caspase-8 and -3 proteins was observed in 30/87 (34.5 per cent) and 79/87 (90.5 per cent) cases, respectively. Cox regression analysis showed no prognostic significance for the association between overall protein expression of either marker and survival probability (p = 0.174 for caspase-3; p = 0.608 for caspase-8). Interestingly, the size of the examined tumours was strongly correlated with survival status (p = 0.024).
Conclusions:
Simultaneous deregulation of caspase-8 and -3 is a frequent event in tongue squamous cell carcinoma. Activation of caspase-3, which is predominantly down-regulated, may be a crucial process for induction of apoptosis and response to therapeutic strategies.
