Objective:To detect the expression levels of T cell immunoglobulin mucin-3 (Tim-3) in peripheral blood natural killer (NK) cells of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and to study their biological and clinical significance.Methods:The expression of Tim-3 in the CD3-CD56 + NK cells was examined in 72 patients with OSCC and 40 heathy controls (HC) by flow cytometry.The correlation of Tim-3 expression in NK cells with clinicopathological parameters was analyzed.Results:The proportion of CD3-CD56 + NK cells was significantly decreased in OSCC patients as compared with HC [(9.30 ± 2.52)％ vs (17.36 ± 3.15)％,P ＜ 0.001].The percentage of Tim-3 + CD3-CD56 + NK cells in OSCC patients was higher than that in HC [(14.35 ± 6.35) ％ vs (1.78 ± 0.86) ％,P ＜ 0.001].High percentage of Tim-3 + CD3-CD56 + NK cells was associated with cell differentiation,lymphatic metastasis and pathological stage of OSCC (P ＜ 0.01).Conclusion:Lower proportion of NK cells and higher level of Tim-3 in peripheral blood NK cells may play a role in the development of OSCC.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the association between small ubiquitin-related modifier-1 (SUMO-1) gene rs6709162, rs7599810, rs7580433 polymorphism and non-syndromic oral clefting (NSOC).

METHODSOur study consisted of 208 Ningxia NSOC patients, their parents (189 fathers and 176 mothers), 172 nuclear families (patients and their parents), and 284 normal controls. DNA was extracted and polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphisms (PCR-RFLP) was used to identify rs6709162, rs7599810, rs7580433 genotypes of the samples. The data was analyzed by case-control analysis, family based associated test (FBAT), and transmission disequilibrium test (TDT).

RESULTSCase-control study found that TT genotype's frequency was significantly different in cleft lip and cleft palate group compared with the control group at rs7599810 of SUMO-1 (P=0.01, P=0.01). TDT test showed that rs7599810's T allele had over-transmitted (P=0.00) in cleft lip and palate group. FBAT analysis revealed that distribution of rs7599810's TT genotype and T allele was significantly different (P=0.00, P=0.00). TDT test showed that rs6709162's C allele in cleft palate and cleft lip and palate patients had over-transmitted (P=0.00, P=0.01). rs7580433's G allele in cleft lip group had over-transmitted (P=0.05).

CONCLUSIONSUMO-1 gene polymorphism is associated with NSOC.

Case-Control Studies ; Cerebellar Ataxia ; Cleft Lip ; Cleft Palate ; Female ; Genotype ; Humans ; Intellectual Disability ; Male ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; SUMO-1 Protein ; genetics ; Ubiquitins