H-7 and fetal calf serum (FCS) act synergistically to increase apoptosis in the KB line of human oral carcinoma cells.

There is a high incidence of oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) worldwide. The survival rate is among the lowest of the major cancers and has not improved significantly over the past two decades. The KB line of human oral carcinoma cells is a useful experimental system for studies of the biology of oral SCC.

Down-regulation of desmosomal molecules in oral and pharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas as a marker for tumour growth and distant metastasis.

Down-regulation of adhesion molecules has been observed in a number of squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) and is considered to be associated with tumour invasiveness and lymph node metastasis. The present prospective investigation aimed at analyzing the expression patterns of desmosomal markers in oral and pharyngeal SCC and correlations that may exist between these patterns and tumour behaviour. Two constitutive desmosomal molecules, desmoplakin (Dp) and plakoglobin (Pg), were examined in 26 samples of primary carcinoma of the head and neck.

H-7 stimulates desmosome formation and inhibits growth in KB oral carcinoma cells.

Protein kinase inhibitor H-7 was reported to stimulate desmosome formation in normal keratinocytes and to inhibit proliferation of neural cell lines. In the present study, the effects of this inhibitor on adhesion and growth of KB human oral carcinoma cells were investigated. H-7 was found to enhance desmosome assembly, as evidenced by an increased punctate labeling for the major desmosomal markers.