Increased expression of activating transcription factor 3 is related to the biologic behavior of cutaneous squamous cell carcinomas

• Published in: Human pathology Vol. 42; no. 7; pp. 954 - 959
• Main Authors: Kim, Myoung Shin, In, Seung Gyun, Park, Oun Jae, Won, Chong Hyun, Lee, Mi Woo, Choi, Jee Ho, Kim, Chan Woong, Kim, Sung Eun, Moon, Kee Chan, Chang, Sungeun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY Elsevier Inc 01.07.2011; Elsevier; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Activating transcription factor 3; Activating Transcription Factor 3 - metabolism; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Apoptosis; Biological and medical sciences; Bowen's Disease - metabolism; Breast cancer; Carcinoma, Basal Cell - metabolism; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - metabolism; Cell adhesion & migration; Deoxyribonucleic acid; Dermatology; DNA; DNA damage; Female; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Infections; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Lymphoma; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Mortality; Pathology; Pathology. Cytology. Biochemistry. Spectrometry. Miscellaneous investigative techniques; Skin; Skin neoplasms; Skin Neoplasms - metabolism; Squamous cell carcinoma; Studies; Transplants & implants; Tumors of the skin and soft tissue. Premalignant lesions; Skin neoplasms; Squamous cell carcinoma; Activating transcription factor 3; Skin disease; Anatomic pathology; Skin squamous cell carcinoma; Basal cell carcinoma; Skin; Malignant tumor; Behavior; Cancer; Skin cancer
• ISSN: 0046-8177; 1532-8392
• DOI: 10.1016/j.humpath.2010.10.008

Summary Activating transcription factor 3, a member of the activating transcription factor/cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element-binding family of transcription factors, is an adaptive response gene that plays an oncogenic role in the development of various cancers. To our knowledge, few information are available on the possible role of activating transcription factor 3 in skin cancer. In this study, we investigated the expression of activating transcription factor 3 in basal cell carcinomas (n = 5), actinic keratoses (n = 7), squamous cell carcinomas (n = 19), and Bowen disease (n = 14) by immunohistochemistry. In results, activating transcription factor 3 was significantly expressed in squamous cell carcinomas (15/19), suggesting that it is involved in the pathogenesis of squamous cell carcinomas but not in basal cell carcinomas (0/5). In addition, higher expression of activating transcription factor 3 was observed in squamous cell carcinomas that were metastatic ( P < .01) or arose in organ transplant recipients ( P < .05). Therefore, activating transcription factor 3 appears to play an oncogenic role in the development of squamous cell carcinomas and may be related to the biologic behavior of them.