OBJECTIVETo study the expression and the location of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) gene and its clinical significance in human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

METHODSIn situ hybridization, PV-9000 polymer detection system for immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expression and the location of VCAM-1 mRNA and VCAM-1 protein in 48 cases of OSCC and 10 cases of normal controls. Statistical analysis was performed using chi-square test in SPSS 13.0.

RESULTSVCAM-1 protein was mainly expressed in tumor cell cytoplasm and membrane, VCAM-1 mRNA was mainly expressed in tumor cell cytoplasm. The expression rate of VCAM-1 mRNA and VCAM-1 protein was significantly higher in OSCC than that in normal oral mucosa (P<0.01). The expression of VCAM-1 mRNA was positively correlated with that of VCAM-1 protein (P<0.01). In the clinicopathologic factors, lymph node metastasis and depth of infiltration were closely correlated with VCAM-1 expression (P<0.01). The expression of VCAM-1 was significantly higher in tumor with lymph node metastasis than in tumor without lymph node metastasis (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONOverexpression of VCAM-1 gene in OSCC may play a potential role in the development of OSCC. The overexpression of VCAM-1 gene in OSCC may be related to the tumor infiltration and metastasis.