OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this study was to investigate the transcription and expression levels of human leukocyte antigen-DR at different stages of oral squamous cell carcinomas.

METHODSThe specific monoclonal antibody and beta-locus specific oligonucleotide probes of human leukocyte antigen-DR were employed in this study. A total of 32 primary oral squamous cell carcinomas, 15 metastatic focuses and 26 histologically normal oral epithelia, were detected for the presence of the human leukocyte antigen-DR molecule by using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization.

RESULTSThe human leukocyte antigen-DR expression of the primary focuses was significantly higher than that of the normal epithelia (P < 0.05), but their expression did not show statistically difference between the metastatic focuses and the normal epithelia. The immunohistochemistric results were identical with those of in situ hybridization.

CONCLUSIONThe abnormal higher expression of the HLA-DR is a common character of primary oral squamous cell carcinomas, but it may be not relevant to the metastasis of tumors.