Abstract
Background: Molecular events following nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) activation by nicotine are poorly understood. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K)/Akt/PTEN pathway has been suggested to play a role in the antiapoptotic responses to nicotine. Materials and Methods: To elucidate the possible role of α3, α5 and α7 nAChR subunit mediated PI3-K/Akt/PTEN pathway activation in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (HNSCC) development, mRNA was isolated from 30 HNSCC tissues of known Akt activation state and were analyzed by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: α3, α5 and α7 nAChR subunits were expressed in 1/30 (3.33%), 15/30 (50%) and 10/30 (33.33%), respectively. These results did not correlate with pAkt levels, previously assessed in our laboratory, or any of the clinicopathological parameters considered. Conclusion: This is the first report on nAChR subunit expression in human HNSCC surgical specimens of known pAkt levels. Our results suggest that nAChRs might exert their function through pathways different from PI3-K/Akt/PTEN and that α3, α5 or α7 nAChR subunit expression might not be useful prognostic markers in HNSCC.
Footnotes
- Received November 9, 2006.
- Revision received January 12, 2007.
- Accepted January 26, 2007.
- Copyright© 2007 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved