Abstract
Background Trophoblast cell surface antigen 2 (TROP2) is overexpressed in many squamous cell carcinomas and contributes to tumor development and invasion. The correlation between the expression of TROP2 and occurrence and development of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains to be understood.Methods We have investigated the role of the specific marker TROP2 in OSCC patients using a combination of biophysics approaches. Analyzed 108 OSCC patient specimens with varying degrees of differentiation using hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemistry for TROP2 expression, along with Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis and atomic force microscopy, to understand the morphology and mechanical properties of OSCC tissues.Results In total, 34% poor differentiation underwent high TROP expression. TROP2 as risk factor about patient age (OR = 0.437, P = 0.039), tumor size (OR = 13.148, P = 0.000), TNM stage (OR = 0.141, P = 0.000) during low survival rate. Average surface roughness of low, medium, and highly differentiated OSCC tissues were 448.9 ± 54.8, 792.7 ± 83.6, and 993.0 ± 104.3 nm, respectively. The Pearson coefficient revealed a negative correlation between stiffness and TROP2 expression (r=-0.84, P < 0.01).Conclusion TROP2 expression increased with the decrease in survival rate and negatively correlated with the various degrees of differentiation and tissue mechanics. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that TROP2 may be an indicator of OSCC differentiation that leads to the altered mechanical properties (e.g., stiffness) of OSCC tissues.
Keratin 36, a specific marker of tongue filiform papillae, is downregulated in squamous cell carcinoma of the mobile tongue
