Purpose: To investigate the correlations between the expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) gene and clinicopathologic characteristics and microvessel density (MVD) in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).
Methods: Expression and location of VCAM-1mRNA and protein in 48 OSCCs and 10 normal controls were detected by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical stainingìMVD was also assessed. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS13.0 software package for Student's t test and Chi-square test.
Results: VCAM-1mRNA was mainly detected in cytoplasm of OSCC.VCAM-1 protein was mainly detected in membrane and cytoplasm of OSCC. The expression of VCAM-1mRNA and protein were significantly higher in OSCC tissues than normal oral tissues (P<0.01). In the clinicopathologic factors, lymph node metastasis and depth of infiltration were closely correlated with VCAM-1 expression (P<0.01), but there was no significant correlation between the positively expression and patients' sex, age and tumor' differentiated degree (P>0.05).
Conclusions: Overexpression of VCAM-1 gene in OSCC may play a potential role in the development of OSCC.It is closely associated with lymph node metastasis and the angiogenesis.