[Expression and clinical significance of proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 and phospho-protein kinase B in tongue squamous cell carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the expression and clinical significance of proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (Pyk2) and phospho-protein kinase B (p-AKT) in tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) and adjacent nontumor tissues.

METHODS

The Pyk2 and p-AKT protein levels were detected via immunohistochemistry in 45 cases of TSCC tissues and 30 cases of adjacent nontumor tissues. The relationships of the two protein levels and clinicopathological characteristics were also analyzed.

RESULTS

Pyk2 and p-AKT levels were significantly higher in the TSCC tissues than in the adjacent nontumor tissues (P<0.05). Nontumor tissues showed poor or no expression. The expression levels of the two proteins were positively correlated (γs=0.412). The expression of Pyk2 was associated with histopathological differentiation type, regional lymph node metastasis, and TNM staging (P<0.05), but not with age and gender. The expression of p-AKT was only related to histopathological differentiation types (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The abnormal expression of Pyk2 and p-AKT proteins might be closely related to the development and progression of TSCC. Joint detection can be used as an indicator to estimate the degree of TSCC.