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Published on: May 11, 2016
CD44s and CD44v6 expression in head and neck epithelia
1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Grosshadern Medical Center, Ludwig-Maximilians-University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
Plos One
|October 15, 2008
Summary
CD44 standard (CD44s) and CD44v6 are widely expressed in head and neck tissues, including normal epithelia and carcinomas. Their expression levels do not reliably distinguish between normal, benign, and malignant tissues, questioning CD44s as a specific cancer stem cell marker.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Cell Biology
- Immunohistochemistry
Background:
- CD44 splice variants are linked to cell transformation.
- CD44 standard (CD44s) has been identified as a cancer stem cell (CSC) marker in various cancers, including head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC).
- Previous reports on CD44s expression in HNSCC present conflicting data, necessitating clarification.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and clarify the expression patterns of CD44 standard (CD44s) and CD44v6 in normal and cancerous head and neck epithelia.
- To evaluate the utility of CD44s as a marker for head and neck cancer stem cells.
Main Methods:
- Immunohistochemistry was employed to analyze CD44s and CD44v6 expression in primary head and neck tissues.
- A scoring system combining the percentage of positive cells and staining intensity (0 to +++) was used.
- Cell surface expression was also assessed in lymphocytes and HNSCC cell lines.
Main Results:
- CD44s and CD44v6 were highly expressed in normal head and neck epithelia.
- Expression levels showed slight increases in oral leukoplakia and moderately differentiated carcinomas but decreased in poorly differentiated carcinomas.
- CD44s was strongly expressed in lymphocytes and HNSCC lines, while CD44v6 was not detected in these.
Conclusions:
- CD44s and CD44v6 expression levels do not differentiate between normal, benign, or malignant head and neck epithelia.
- The widespread presence of CD44s and CD44v6 in most head and neck cells, including carcinomas, challenges its role as a specific marker for a small subset of head and neck cancer stem cells.
