SKA1 expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma and its relationship to P53 and clinicopathologic features

In this study, 57 paraffin-embedded tissue specimens from patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) were collected and analyzed. Spindle and kinetochore-associated complex subunit 1 (SKA1) and P53 protein expression in selected samples was detected by immunohistochemistry. The positive expression rate of SKA1 and P53 was significantly higher in oral squamous cell carcinoma tissues than in normal controls. The expression of SKA1 protein was significantly associated with tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage, and p53 expression was significantly correlated with pathologic differentiation grade in oral squamous cell carcinoma tissues. There was a significant correlation between SKA1 and p53 protein expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma tissues. Our results indicate that the SKA1 gene might be involved in the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma and might predict its prognosis. SKA1 is expected to be a new molecular target for oral squamous cell carcinoma.