Expression of Perlecan (Heparan Sulphate Proteoglycan) in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Perlecan is a basement membrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan. It plays a vital role in cell- cell adhesion, cell-matrix adhesion and is associated with several growth factors. Recently its role has been found in many pathological and physiological conditions. Aim of this study was to understand the immunolocalisation of perlecan in normal mucosa and oral squamous cell carcinoma and also to derive a correlation between perlecan expression and various grades of carcinoma.

A total of thirty tissue blocks comprising of ten normal mucosa and twenty oral squamous cell carcinoma were included in the study. They were examined for the presence of perlecan protein core by immunohistochemistry using monoclonal antibody (Anti-Basement Membrane-type heparan sulfate proteoglycan core protein. Specificity: Mouse monoclonal anti human Perlecan Clone No:85-9). Interpretation of staining was done and the observations statisticaly analysed by Fisher exact tests to evaluate the expression of perlecan within and around the tumor islands.

In normal epithelium perlecan expression was limited to basal layer. In oral squamous cell carcinoma, perlecan was present in surface epithelium, stroma as well as tumor islands. Perlecan expression within tumor islands became scarce with the higher grades of carcinoma.

It was deduced from the results that with the increase in degree of carcinoma; more heparanase enzyme acts on perlecan and from the breakdown of perlecan; fibroblast growth factor, transforming growth factor-β and other growth factors are released. All these factors are known to promote tumor growth.