4NQO oral carcinogenesis: animal models, molecular markers and future expectations

4NQO oral carcinogenesis: animal models, molecular markers and future expectations

Oral Oncology (2005) 41, 337–339 http://intl.elsevierhealth.com/journals/oron/ EDITORIAL REVIEW 4NQO oral carcinogenesis: animal models, molecular ...

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Oral Oncology (2005) 41, 337–339

http://intl.elsevierhealth.com/journals/oron/

EDITORIAL REVIEW

4NQO oral carcinogenesis: animal models, molecular markers and future expectations Cancers of the oral cavity and oropharynx represent the sixth most common malignant neoplasms with an estimated annual worldwide incidence of 500,000 cases.1 The American Cancer Society estimates that approximately 30,000 new cases of, oral cancer were diagnosed in 2002 and nearly 7,400 people will die from this disease.2 Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), which arises from the oral mucosa lining, accounts for over 90% of these tumors.3 It has been postulated that tumorigenesis is a multistep process and requires accumulation of carcinogen-induced genetic changes throughout the exposed tissue field. The concept of field cancerization, established in 1953, is based on the fact that the epithelial surface of the upper airway can be exposed to the same common carcinogens. Thus, it possesses an increased risk in the development of oral cancer development.4 The animal model of 4NQO carcinogenesis, by systemic administration in drinking water or by topical application, produces a spectrum of preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions and, thus is considered to be the preferred model to study oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).5 Its advantage lies in the fact that it parallels the development of OSCC in humans, i.e., the dysplastic lesions are produced by long-term ingestion of small amounts of carcinogen.5 Since the original 4NQO carcinogenesis model of Wallenius and Leckholm,6 where repeated applications of the water-soluble carcinogen to the rat palate induced epithelial dysplasia and ultimately SCC, a series of studies published in the English language literature have provided abundant evidence for a well-established relationship between histologic features of epithelial dysplasia and time of application of the carcinogen.5,7–13 Although the experimental protocols used in these studies vary



widely in relation to duration of carcinogen application and sacrifice time points, it was generally found that exposing the rat palatal mucosa to 4NQO carcinogen produces initial disturbances in the morphology of the palatal epithelium compatible with dysplasia. In one study it was shown that this exposure can be as short as 2 weeks.10 In other studies, the duration of carcinogen application required for the appearance of the first dysplastic changes was reported as usually longer: 4,9,12,13 88,11,13 and 12 weeks.7 It is important to note that studies, which concomitantly analyzed changes in the histological features and clinical appearance of the palatal mucosa, reported a latent period between the two. The first histological changes usually preceded clinical modifications8,10,13 for as long as 8 weeks.8,13 A similar pattern of changes with a latency period was reported when 4NQO carcinogen was administered in drinking water and rat tongues were analyzed for clinical and histological alterations.5 Clinical and histological evidence that the rat 4NQO model of oral carcinogenesis simulates the development of human SCC within premalignant white oral lesions was only the first step. From the beginning of this model, it was felt that both the gross clinical and fine microscopic findings are rather late morphologic changes and earlier substantial events at the nuclear and molecular level precede their appearance. Thus, several markers with an alleged potential to indicate and predict the evolvement of a truly invasive malignant neoplasm following exposure to 4NQO have been investigated for some time. This included markers, such as nuclear profile of basal epithelial cells,9 cytokeratin profile,14 AgNOR parameters,15,16 proliferating markers PCNA17 and BrdU,18 tumor suppressive protein p5319 and cadherin-associated proteins.20 It was generally found that changes in

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338 these markers became more intense as the oral epithelium progressed histologically from normal to dysplastic to carcinoma. In the particular case of the AgNOR method, intranuclear changes, comprised of a significant increase in number and area of AgNORs, were identified much earlier (14 weeks) than any clinical modifications could be observed.16 In addition, this model has been investigated at a genetic level to trace the earliest key changes in charge of the malignant transformation. For example, high frequency of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in loci harboring oncogenes (e.g., Ha-ras) has been found.21 Studies, in vivo and in vitro, have shown that as 4NQO-induced carcinogenesis progresses, the frequency of changes in DNA content, (i.e., ploidy), increases, usually featuring the appearance of hyperploid cells.18,22,23 Whether this event precedes the acquirement of a malignant phenotype (i.e., anchorage independence and tumorogenicity in athymic mice) remains a matter of debate.23 In the present issue of Oral Oncology, Ribeiro et al. confirms and further supports the idea that 4NQO-induced DNA damage is an early event and that it can be present in what appears to be both clinically and histologically normal epithelium. A relatively uncommon diagnostic tool in the study of oral cancer, the single cell gel (comet) assay, is also introduced.24 The above reviewed markers and diagnostic methods as well as their results have served as a valuable source for investigating human oral carcinogesis. We must now find reliable markers to signal and predict the risk of transition of oral premalignant lesions (leukoplakias) to a malignant stage. However, each time a new marker is suggested, it actually poses a new hurdle. It should be remembered the enthusiasm over the tumor suppressor protein p53. In time, it was concluded that either gene mutation or change in protein expression could be associated with cellular response to environmental stimuli and not necessarily with malignant transformation.25,26 The AgNOR method yielded contradictory results, thus its predictive value is still uncertain.27,28 LOH at specific loci was found in increasing frequencies as oral premalignant lesions showed histological advance toward true malignancy. However, it is not known as yet, what risks are associated with other identifiable LOH.29 Another marker recently proposed as a predictive factor for malignant transformation of oral leukoplakias is the measurement of DNA content.30 According to the study, dysplastic leukoplakias found in diploid lesions are considered as low risk for malignant transformation, while aneuploid lesions are considered as high risk. In addition, the degree of the dysplasia found in these

Editorial Review leukoplakias did not correlate with DNA content or the risk of cancer. Although extremely promising, before this marker can be clinically applicable, clarification is needed as to what occurs in the oral cancers that do not develop at a previous leukoplakia site. This is true for about half of the cases.31 Furthermore, aneuploidy cannot be used as a predictive marker in diploid oral cancers, which, again, constitute about half of all cases.31 Thus far, the most predictive markers assessed for oral SCC include cancer history, the presence of epithelial dysplasia, chromosomal aneuploidy, p53 expression, and LOH at chromosome 3p or 9p.32 The stronger predictors for malignancy were found to be histology and the combined biomarker score of chromosomal polysomy, p53 and LOH.33 Use of these markers as an adjunctive to routine histopathologic examination is necessary to achieve the most accurate prognostic potential and, subsequently, the most effective management of the premalignant lesions.32,33 What becomes clear from these findings and subsequent asked questions, is that neither a single molecular marker/class of markers nor one investigative method is powerful enough to predict the risk of oral cancer development in each individual. Future investigations are mandatory that would validate the above predictive molecular markers in cells collected from either oral mucosa smears or whole saliva in high-risk patients with no visible clinical changes of the oral mucosa. The animal model of 4NQO oral carcinogenesis can be helpful in conducting preliminary studies on genomic instability of epithelial cells collected either from oral smears or from whole saliva. Meanwhile, on more practical grounds, the American Cancer Society recommends an annual check-up for all individuals over the age of 40, and every 3 years for individuals between ages of 20 and 39 years, which ‘‘should include health counseling and, depending on a personÕs age, might include examinations for cancers of the thyroid, oral cavity, skin, lymph nodes, testes and ovaries’’.34

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Marilena Vered Noam Yarom Dan Dayan Department of Oral Pathology and Oral Medicine The Maurice and Gabriela Goldschleger School of Dental Medicine Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv, Israel Tel.: +972 3 640 9305/9112; fax: +972 3 640 9250 E-mail address: [email protected] (D. Dayan). Received 27 July 2004; accepted 28 July 2004