Rho GTPases are Involved on Regulation of Cytodifferentiation of SCC-4 Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cell Line: A Preliminary Study

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated the involvement of Rho GTPases proteins in the regulation of cytodifferentiation of the SCC-4 human oral squamous cell carcinoma cell line. METHODS: Cytokeratin and vimentin immunofluorescence and F-actin staining, assays were performed with control cells and Clostridium difficile 1, 2 and 4 μg/mL Toxin A (Rho GTPases inhibitor) treated SCC-4 cells on three-dimensional Matrigel(TM) for 24 h. Samples were analyzed by using confocal laser microscopy. Significances were p<0.05. RESULTS: In all concentrations studied, Toxin A treatment decreased percentage of cytokeratin positive cells (p<0.0001), otherwise, it increased percentage of vimentin positive cells (p<0.0001). There was a negative correlation between cytokeratin and vimentin immunoexpression (p<0.0001), the higher the amount of cytokeratin, the lower the amount of vimentin. Also F-actin polymerization is affected by Toxin A treatment. CONCLUSION: Although this is a preliminary study, our results suggest that Rho GTPases are involved on regulation of cytodifferentiation of the SCC-4 human oral squamous cell carcinoma cell line.