Expression profiling of supraglottic carcinoma: PTEN and thrombospondin 2 are associated with inhibition of lymphatic metastasis

CONCLUSION: Down-regulation of metastasis inhibitor genes PTEN and thrombospondin 2 may play a role in the lymphatic metastasis of supraglottic carcinoma. OBJECTIVES: To investigate differentially expressed genes in supraglottic squamous cell carcinoma with and without lymphatic metastasis using cDNA microarray. MATERIALS AND METHODS: cDNA microarray was used to detect the expression profiles of supraglottic carcinoma and the results were validated with real-time PCR. RESULTS: Compared with normal laryngeal tissues, the expression of 15.6% (15/96) genes including cathepsin B, cathepsin D, cathepsin L, Ets1, c-Ets2, and PEA3 were up-regulated in both cases of supraglottic carcinoma. Compared with the supraglottic carcinoma with no lymph node metastasis, the expression of metastasis inhibitor genes PTEN and thrombospondin 2 was down-regulated in the supraglottic carcinoma tissue with lymph node metastasis.