Expression of Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 and Histological Differentiation of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinomas

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Bone morphogenic protein-2 (BMP-2) plays an essential role in mesenchymal cell differentiation into osteoblasts، through many intracellular pathways which may also be active in tumors. Invasive oral squamous cell carcinomas account for more than 90% of head and neck malignancies in many cancer registries. They are classified into three types according to epithelial cell differentiation. The present study aimed to identify any relation between BMP-2 expression and tumor histology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: BMP-2 expression was compared immunohistochemically among 30 cases (19 male and 11 female, mean age 48 years) of oral squamous cell carcinoma, Division was into 3 groups (each containing 10 cases) according to the histological grade. RESULTS: No significant correlation between BMP-2 expression and histological grade was observed. Changes in localization and cytoplasmic staining were also not apparent. CONCLUSION: From the results of this study BMP-2 does not appear to have any application as a prognostic marker for oral squamous cell carcinomas.