OBJECTIVETo study the clinical significance of osteopontin (OPN) and its receptor CD44v6 expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).

METHODSOPN and CD44v6 expression were examined in OSCC (n=59) and normal oral mucosa (n=12) by EnVision method, the staining-grade were quantitatively studied by multiple functional image analyzer. Their expression grade of different clinical and pathological index were statistically studied.

RESULTSOPN expression grade was significantly higher in OSCC than that in normal oral mucosa (P<0.05). Significant deviation of OPN expression grade was found between different clinical stages, as well as between the groups with or without cervical lymph node metastasis. The group with cervical lymphnode metastasis had higher expression than that of the group without lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). However, there was no significant deviation between the expression grade in well-differentiated group and moderate or poorly differentiated group. The expression of CD44v6 showed no correlation with that of OPN, nor any difference between OSCC and normal oral mucosa.

CONCLUSIONOPN over expression was found in OSCC, and the expression level has correlation with the clinical staging and with cervical lymph node metastasis status. CD44v6 expression showed no difference between OSCC and normal oral mucosa nor any correlation with that of OPN.