S19-mRNA expression in squamous cell carcinomas of the upper aerodigestive tract.

Background: The differential display method showed altered expression of ribosomal protein S19 gene in human head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines.

Materials And Methods: To verify these results, RT-PCR analysis was carried out in 18 HNSCC and 17 benign epithelial cell lines as well as 30 HNSCC and 8 reference tissue samples. In the HNSCC cells S19 mRNA expression was significantly reduced as compared to benign epithelial cells.

Results: Change of the S19 gene expression in surgical samples was detectable but not significant although the histopathological grading of the HNSCC biopsies correlated significantly with the S19 mRNA expression levels. The expression of ribosomal protein S6 and S14 genes were additionally analyzed using the same methods.

Conclusion: High correlation was found between the expression of S6/S14 and S19 suggesting that changes in S19 gene expression might be the result of loss of ribosomes in HNSCC cells.