Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 8, 2026
RNAscope for In situ Detection of Transcriptionally Active Human Papillomavirus in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Published on: March 11, 2014
Prognostic value of heparanase expression and cellular localization in oral cancer
Yoav Leiser1, Imad Abu-El-Naaj, Edmond Sabo
1Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Rambam Medical Center, Post Office Box 9602, Haifa, Israel.
Background:
Metastases formation depends on the ability of tumor cells to invade basement membranes in a process involving enzymes capable of degrading extracellular matrix components.
Methods:
We examined the expression of heparanase in oral carcinomas and correlated its staining extent, intensity, and cellular localization with patients' outcome.
Results:
Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) revealed over 4-fold increase in heparanase levels in oral carcinomas compared to adjacent normal tissue. Normal oral epithelium was found negative for heparanase, while all oral carcinomas stained positively for heparanase. Heparanase staining was associated with Ki67 staining, a measure of cell proliferation. Notably, whereas cytoplasmic localization of heparanase was associated with high-grade carcinomas, nuclear localization of the enzyme was found primarily in low-grade, well-differentiated tumors, and in all oral verrucous carcinomas.
Conclusion:
Expression level and cellular localization of heparanase could serve as an important diagnostic marker in patients with oral cancer.