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Updated: Feb 13, 2026
Modeling Oral-Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in 3D Organoids
Published on: December 23, 2022
mTORC1 and mTORC2 Expression Levels in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: An Immunohistochemical and Clinicopathological
Goro Kawasaki1, Tomofumi Naruse2, Kohei Furukawa2
1Department of Clinical Oral Oncology, Unit of Translational Medicine, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan gkawa@nagasaki-u.ac.jp.
Background/Aim:
Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) plays a critical role in the regulation of tumor cell motility, invasion and cancer cell metastasis. mTOR consists of two separate multi-protein complexes, mTOR complex (mTORC) 1 and mTORC2.
Materials And Methods:
We investigated the expression levels of mTORC1 and mTORC2 immunohistochemically in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).
Results:
mTORC1 and mTORC2 were more highly expressed in tumors than in normal oral mucosa. mTORC1 expression was correlated with T classification, N classification, and survival rate (p<0.05), whereas mTORC2 expression was only correlated with T classification (p<0.05). Histologically, the expression levels of mTORC1 and mTORC2 correlated with cancer cell invasion and the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (p<0.05), respectively. Expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factors and hypoxia-inducible factor 1 in the mTORC1 (-)/ mTORC2 (+) group were significantly lower than those in other groups.
Conclusion:
These findings suggested that mTORC1 and mTORC2 could be promising anti-tumor targets in OSCC, and mTORC1 (-)/mTORC2 (+) may have a correlation with the malignant potential of OSCC.
Insights
Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) complexes 1 and 2 (mTORC1/2) are upregulated in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Higher mTORC1 expression correlates with advanced cancer and poorer survival, suggesting mTORC1/2 as potential therapeutic targets for OSCC.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is crucial for tumor cell motility, invasion, and metastasis.
- mTOR functions through two distinct complexes: mTOR complex 1 (mTORC1) and mTOR complex 2 (mTORC2).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the expression levels of mTORC1 and mTORC2 in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).
- To determine the correlation between mTORC1/mTORC2 expression and clinicopathological features of OSCC.
Main Methods:
- Immunohistochemical analysis was employed to assess mTORC1 and mTORC2 expression in OSCC tissues and normal oral mucosa.
- Statistical analysis was performed to correlate expression levels with tumor classification, nodal status, survival, invasion, and proliferation markers.
Main Results:
- mTORC1 and mTORC2 showed higher expression in OSCC tumors compared to normal mucosa.
- mTORC1 expression correlated significantly with T classification, N classification, and survival rate.
- mTORC2 expression correlated with T classification, and both correlated with cancer cell invasion and PCNA expression.
Conclusions:
- mTORC1 and mTORC2 represent promising anti-tumor targets for OSCC treatment.
- The specific expression pattern of mTORC1 (-)/mTORC2 (+) may be linked to the malignant potential of OSCC.
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