• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.129-134
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• 2001

Since NNK is one of the most abundant tobacco-specific alkaloids and a strong carcinogenic nitrosamine, it has been used for evaluating a potential of carcinogenicity in the animal models. The present study has attempted to examine the potential of carcinogenicity of NNK in human epithelial cells, from which the cell type the most of cancers including oral cancer and nasal cavity cancer are originated. The cellular model used for the study is a human keratinocyte cell system immortalized by Ad12-SV40 hybrid virus. The cellular system has successfully been used for the carcinogenicity studies because of its limitless life span, epithelial morphology and nontumorigenicity. When cells were treated with a variety of NNK concentrations, levels of saturation density and soft agar colony formation were increased in a dose-dependent fashion. Colonies of large cell aggregates were above 5 at the higher doses. The results indicate that exposure of human cells with NNK induced loss of contact inhibition and increases of anchorage independence and cellular adhesion, which are typical characteristics of the neoplatically transformed cells. When cells were exposed with 100uM NNK for 2hr, mRNA levels of IL-1 and PAI-2 were increased in a dose-dependent manner, but expression of TGF- 1 was not affected. While expression of growth regulatory factors were altered with a short-term exposure, there was no alteration of these factors in the NNK-transformed cells. However, mRNA levels of fibronectin were increased both in the short-term treatment and in the transformation. The results suggest that altered expression of extracellular matrix such as fibronectin following short-term exposure might be fixed in the genome and these altered properties be continuously transfered throughout the cell division. Western blot analysis showed a translocation of PKC- from cytosolic fraction to the particulate fraction, indicating a possible role of NNK in the signal transduction pathway. The present study provided an evidence that NNK in the smoking may be associated with epithelial origin cancer such as oral and nasal cavity cancers. In addition, this study suggested that altered expression of extracellular matrix and PKC may play an important role in the carcinogenic mechanism of NNK.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.129-142
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• 2002

Epithelial-mesenchymal interaction plays a important role in cell growth and differentiation. This interaction is already well known to have an importance during the organ development as well as cell growth and differentiation. However, in vitro experimental model is not well developed to reproduce in vivo cellular microenvironment which provide a epithelial-mesenchymal interaction. Because conventional monolayer culture lacks epithelial-mensenchymal interaction, cultivated cells have an morphologic, biochemical, and functional characteristics differ from in vivo tissue. Moreover, it's condition is not able to induce cellular differention due to submerged culture condition. Therefore, the aims of this study were to develop and evaualte the in vitro experimental model that maintains epithelial-mesenchymal interaction by organotypic raft culture, and to characterize biologic properties of three-dimensionally reconstituted oral keratinocytes by histological and immunohistochemical analysis. The results were as follow; 1. Gingival keratinocytes reconstituted by three-dimensional organotypic culture revealed similar morphologic characteristics to biopsied patient specimen showing stratification, hyperkeratinosis, matutation of epithelial architecture. 2. Connective tissue structure was matured, and there is no difference during stratification period of epithelial 3-dimensional culture. 3. The longer of air-exposure culture on three-dimensionally reconstituted cells, the more epithelial maturation, increased epithelial thickness and surface keratinization 4. In reconstitued mucosa, the whole epidermis was positively stained by anti-involucrin antibody, and there is no difference according to air-exposured culture period. 5. The Hsp was expressed in the epithelial layer of three-dimensionally cultured cells, especially basal layer of epidermis. The change of Hsp expression was not significant by culture stratification. 6. Connexin 43, marker of cell-cell communication was revealed mild immunodeposition in reconstitued epithelium, and there is no significant expression change during stratification. These results suggest that three-dimensional oragnotypic co-culture of normal gingival keratinocytes with dermal equivalent consisting type I collagen and gingival fibroblasts results in similar morphologic and immunohistochemical characteristics to in vivo patient specimens. And this culture system seems to provide adequate micro-environment for in vitro tissue reconstitution. Therefore, further study will be focused to study of in vitro gingivitis model, development of novel perioodntal disease therapeutics and epithelial-mensenchymal interaction.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.135-141
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• 2011

Hertwig's epithelial root sheath (HERS) consists of bi-layered cells derived from the inner and outer dental epithelia and plays important roles in tooth root formation as well as in the maintenance and regeneration of periodontal tissues. With regards to the fate of HERS, and although previous reports have suggested that this entails the formation of epithelial rests of Malassez, apoptosis or an epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT), it is unclear what changes occur in the epithelial cells in this structure. This study examined whether HERS cells undergo EMT using a keratin-14 (K14) cre:ROSA 26 transgenic reporter mouse. The K14 transgene is expressed by many epithelial tissues, including the oral epithelium and the enamel organ. A distinct K14 expression pattern was found in the continuous HERS bi-layer and the epithelial diaphragm were visualized by detecting the ${\beta}$-galactosidase (lacZ) activity in 1 week postnatal mice. The 2 and 4 week old mice showed a fragmented HERS with cell aggregation along the root surface. However, some of the lacZ-positive dissociated cells along the root surface were not positive for pan-cytokeratin. These results suggest that the K14 transgene is a valuable marker of HERS. In addition, the current data suggest that some of the HERS cells may lose their epithelial properties after fragmentation and subsequently undergo EMT.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.279-284
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• 2009

This research aimed to investigate the time-course effect of epichlorohydrin (ECH) on epididymal histopathology in Sprague-Dawley rats. Twenty-four male rats were randomly assigned to four groups with 6 rats in each group and were administered a single oral dose of ECH (70 mg/kg) or its vehicle. Six animals each were sacrificed on days 0 (control), 1, 2, and 7 after treatment. During the study period, clinical signs, body weights, reproductive organ weights, testicular spermatid count, epididymal sperm count, motility and morphology, and histopathology were examined. No treatmentrelated effects on body weights and reproductive organ weights were noted at any time point. On the contrary, sperm motility decreased slightly on days 1 and 2 after treatment and then decreased significantly on day 7 after treatment. The first signs of histological changes were the appearance of cell debris in the ducts and vacuolization of the epithelial cells observed in the proximal caput epididymis on day 1 after treatment. The incidences and grades of the histological changes including cell debris in the ducts, epithelial vacuolization, oligospermia, and epithelial disruption increased on day 2 and then decreased slightly on day 7 after treatment. These results show that a single oral dose of 70 mg/kg ECH to male rats results in cell debris in the ducts and vacuolization of the epithelial cells in the proximal caput epididymis, followed by reversible oligospermia, epithelial disruption, and decreased sperm motility.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.199-204
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) induced by Snail transcription factor and Snail-transfected in vivo tumors with histopathological features. Materials and methods: We induced in vivo xenografted tumorigenesis in the oral vestibules of nude mice by a Snail transfected HaCaT cell line and investigated morphological and immunohistochemical features in Snail expressive tumors. Results: We identified tumor masses in 14 out of 15 nude mice in the HaCaT-Snail cell inoculation group, but no tumors were present in any of the HaCaT cell inoculation group. Induced tumors showed features of poorly differentiated carcinoma with invasion to neighboring muscles and bones. The HaCaT-Snail tumors showed decreased expressions of E-cadherin and cytokeratin, but showed increased expressions of vimentin and N-cadherin. Discussion: The Snail transfected xenograft can improve productivity of malignant tumors, show various histopathological features including invasive growth, and aid in the investigation of tumor progression and the interaction with surrounding tissues.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.5579-5587
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• 2013

Research indicates that a small population of cancer cells is highly tumorigenic, endowed with the capacity for self-renewal, and has the ability to differentiate into cells that constitute the bulk of tumors. These cells are considered the "drivers" of the tumorigenic process in some tumor types, and have been named cancer stem cells (CSC). Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) appears to be involved in the process leading to the acquisition of stemness by epithelial tumor cells. Through this process, cells acquire an invasive phenotype that may contribute to tumor recurrence and metastasis. CSC have been identified in human head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) using markers such as CD133 and CD44 expression, and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity. Head and neck cancer stem cells reside primarily in perivascular niches in the invasive fronts where endothelial-cell initiated events contribute to their survival and function. Clinically, CSC enrichment has been shown to be enhanced in recurrent disease, treatment failure and metastasis. CSC represent a novel target of study given their slow growth and innate mechanisms conferring treatment resistance. Further understanding of their unique phenotype may reveal potential molecular targets to improve therapeutic and survival outcomes in patients with HNSCC. Here, we discuss the state-of-the-knowledge on the pathobiology of cancer stem cells, with a focus on the impact of these cells on head and neck tumor progression, metastasis and recurrence due to treatment failure.

• BMB Reports
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• v.51 no.9
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• pp.425-426
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• 2018

As highly conserved signaling cascades of multicellular organisms, Wnt and Hippo pathways control a wide range of cellular activities, including cell adhesion, fate determination, cell cycle, motility, polarity, and metabolism. Dysregulation of those pathways are implicated in many human diseases, including cancer. Similarly to ${\beta}-catenin$ in the Wnt pathway, the YAP transcription co-activator is a major player in Hippo. Although the intracellular dynamics of YAP are well-known to largely depend on phosphorylation by LATS and AMPK kinases, the molecular effector of YAP cytosolic translocation remains unidentified. Recently, we reported that the Dishevelled (DVL), a key scaffolding protein between canonical and non-canonical Wnt pathway, is responsible for nuclear export of phosphorylated YAP. The DVL is also required for YAP intracellular trafficking induced by E-cadherin, ${\alpha}-catenin$, or metabolic stress. Note that the p53/LATS2 and LKB1/AMPK tumor suppressor axes, commonly inactivated in human cancer, govern the reciprocal inhibition between DVL and YAP. Conversely, loss of the tumor suppressor allows co-activation of YAP and Wnt independent of epithelial polarity or contact inhibition in human cancer. These observations provide novel mechanistic insight into (1) a tight molecular connection merging the Wnt and Hippo pathways, and (2) the importance of tumor suppressor contexts with respect to controlled proliferation and epithelial polarity regulated by cell adhesion.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.141-148
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• 1993

The author analyzed the clinical and radiographic findings of 109 malignant tumors of epithelial origin occured in the jaws of the patients visited the infirmaries of Dentistry, Chosun University and several university in Korea during 1978 to 1988. The observed results were as follows: 1. It appeared that 93 % of the total 397 cases diagnosed as oral malignant tumors were squamous cell carcinomas. 2. The incidence ratios between nodular type and ulcer type were 4 to 1 in maxilla and 3 to 1 in mandible. 3. In nearly 50% of all patients complained of pain due to impingement of tumor mass or ulcer. 4. Most of carcinomas of maxilla eventually invaded into maxillary sinus and palate. 5. Characteristic features on the radiographs were the lesion with ill-defined border, the direct destruction of the alveolar bone and anatomical landmark without displacement of the involved teeth and the gray shadow of the tumor mass in the lesion.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.224-230
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• 2013

Objectives: Papilloma frequently develops as a benign tumor of the head and neck area, but its potential for malignant transformation has yet to be studied. This study aims to provide basic information for papillomas using the immunohistochemical staining of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2) and human papilloma virus (HPV) 16 and 18. Materials and Methods: To evaluate the malignant transformation of papillomas, the selected tissue samples were serially diagnosed with pre-cancerous papilloma (with epithelial dysplasia, pseudo-epitheliomatous hyperplasia) or malignant lesion (squamous cell carcinoma, SCC) after the first diagnosis (squamous papilloma, inverted papilloma). The selected tissues were stained with an antibody to MMP-2 and HPV 16-E7, HPV 18-L1. A statistical analysis was performed according to each transformation step. Results: The epithelial layer of papilloma and pre-cancerous papilloma lesions had a similar MMP-2 expression, but that of the malignant lesion had a significantly increased MMP-2 expression. HPV 16 and 18 infection rates were 28.6%, 33.3% and 63.6% in papillomas, pre-cancerous papilloma lesions, and SCC. Conclusions: A relatively high MMP-2 expression and HPV 16 or 18 infection of papillomas may be associated with early events in the multistep processes of malignant transformation of papillomas.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.29-38
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• 2018

During cancer progression, cancer cells are repeatedly exposed to metabolic stress conditions in a resource-limited environment which they must escape. Increasing evidence indicates the importance of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) homeostasis in the survival of cancer cells under metabolic stress conditions, such as metabolic resource limitation and therapeutic intervention. NADPH is essential for scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS) mainly derived from oxidative phosphorylation required for ATP generation. Thus, metabolic reprogramming of NADPH homeostasis is an important step in cancer progression as well as in combinational therapeutic approaches. In mammalian, the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) and one-carbon metabolism are major sources of NADPH production. In this review, we focus on the importance of glucose flux control towards PPP regulated by oncogenic pathways and the potential therein for metabolic targeting as a cancer therapy. We also summarize the role of Snail (Snai1), an important regulator of the epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT), in controlling glucose flux towards PPP and thus potentiating cancer cell survival under oxidative and metabolic stress.