Alternation of β-catenin and CD44s Immunoexpression in Different Histopathological Grades of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

OBJECTIVE: Cell-cell adhesion molecules play an essential role in cell growth and differentiation. β-catenin and CD44s are two adhesion molecules which their expression changes are correlated to loss of differentiation and gain of an invasive epithelial phenotype. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common malignancy of oral cavity. Aim of this study was to compare β-catenin and CD44s expression in different histopathological grades of OSCC. METHODS: β-catenin and CD44s expression were evaluated in 10 well differentiated OSCC (group A) and 10 moderately/poorly differentiated OSCC (group B) using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: β-catenin membranous and nuclear/cytoplasmic expression were significantly different between groups A and B. CD44s membranous expression was insignificant amongst the two groups. CONCLUSION: Expression of β-catenin and CD44s alter in different histopathological grades of OSCC. It seems that more rate of aberrant cytoplasmic and/nuclear expression and less membranous expression of β-catenin can lead to significantly lower degree of cell differentiation in OSCC.