Identification of upregulated genes in oral squamous cell carcinomas

BackgroundOral cancer is the most common subset of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). These tumors often have an aggressive clinical outcome hallmarked by a propensity for local invasion and regional nodal metastasis. Upregulated genes could be useful as markers for diagnosis, prognosis, and as new drug targets for these tumors.MethodsTo identify upregulated genes in oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSSCs), we examined the ORESTES public database and used a quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) approach to determine the expression level of selected genes in tumor samples.Results and ConclusionsThe ORESTES data mining analysis indicated 40 upregulated genes in HNSCC. Nine of these candidate genes were selected for further qRT-PCR validation and 3 of them (ALDOA, AHSA1, and POLQ) were frequently found upregulated in OSCC samples, which may indicate an association of these genes with the carcinogenesis process in this tumor site and they can constitute potential new targets for therapy. (c) 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 35: 1475-1481, 2013Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)Fundacao Antonio Prudente (FAP)AC Camargo Canc Hosp, Dept Head & Neck Surg, São Paulo, BrazilLudwig Inst Canc Res, São Paulo Branch, São Paulo, BrazilAC Camargo Canc Hosp, Dept Pathol, São Paulo, BrazilBahia Sch Med & Publ Hlth, Salvador, BA, BrazilEmbrapa Informat Agr, Campinas, SP, BrazilBarretos Canc Hosp, Dept Head & Neck Surg, Barretos, BrazilFed Univ São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Sci Biol, São Paulo, BrazilFed Univ São Paulo UNIFESP, Dept Sci Biol, São Paulo, BrazilCNPq: 476586/2006-2FAPESP: 05/02580-8CNPq: 302360/2008-5CNPq: 308732/2011-1CNPq: 313181/2009-8Web of Scienc