Overexpression of Sal-like protein 4 in head and neck cancer: epigenetic effects and clinical correlations.

Background: Sal-like protein 4 (SALL4), an embryonic stem cell factor, has been reported to play an essential role in embryogenesis and oncogenesis. As yet, however, the expression and role of this transcription factor in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has not been established.

Methods: We assessed SALL4 mRNA expression in a well-characterised dataset of 230 HNSCC samples (test cohort 110 cases and validation cohort 120 cases).

Epigenetic inactivation of galanin receptor 1 in head and neck cancer.

Purpose: One copy of the galanin receptor 1 (GALR1) locus on 18q is often deleted and expression is absent in some head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines. To determine if loss of heterozygosity and hypermethylation might silence the GALR1 gene, promoter methylation status and gene expression were assessed in a large panel of HNSCC cell lines and tumors.

Experimental Design: Promoter methylation of GALR1 in 72 cell lines and 100 primary tumor samples was analyzed using methylation-specific PCR.