Study on alteration of expression of genes and proteins related to development, progression and characteristic morphogenesis of salivary gland tumors

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To accumulate the basic data useful to diagnosis, prediction and treatment of salivary gland tumors, we examined the alteration of gene and protein expression in various salivary gland tumors using tumor tissues and cell lines.1. The expression of cell adhesion molecules such as E-cadherin, β-catenin and CD44v9 which are strongly expressed in epithelium of normal salivary gland, cell cycle regulatory factors such as p53, p27, cyclin D1 and Aurora A/B and epidermal growth factor receptor altered in salivary gland tumors, especially malignant tumors. In adenoid cystic carcinoma, Skp2 may play an important role in development and pregression through the down-regulation of p27. On the basis of these results, we will propose a new entity of low-grade malignant pleomorphic adenoma with mutation of p53 gene and down-regulation of p27 protein.2. SAKI and periostin related to the development and/or progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma may be not associated with those of salivary gland tumors.3. In the tumors with oncocytic metaplasia which causes the diagnostic difficulty in salivary gland tumors, the evaluation of differential markers including glandular epithelial and myoepitheial markers is important for the establishment of the diagnosis.4. The immortalized pleomorphic adenoma cells showing the expression of glandular epithelial and myoepithelial markers were established by transfection with hTERT gene. These cells are useful for the analysis of characteristic morphogenesis of pleomorphic adenoma.