Deregulated expression of superoxide dismutase-2 correlates with different stages of cervical neoplasia

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Termini, Lara^; | Filho, Adhemar Longatto^; | Maciag, Paulo Cesar | Etlinger, Daniela | Alves, Venâncio Avancini Ferreira | Nonogaki, Suely | Soares, Fernando Augusto^; | Villa, Luisa Lina^;

Affiliations: Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research – Hospital Alemão Oswaldo Cruz, São Paulo (SP), Brazil | Life and Health Sciences Research Institute, School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, Braga, Portugal | Pathology Division, Adolfo Lutz Institute, São Paulo (SP), Brazil | HPV Institute – INCT-HPV, Santa Casa de Misericórdia, São Paulo (SP), Brazil | Laboratory of Medical Investigation (LIM) 14, Department of Pathology, University of São Paulo, School of Medicine, São Paulo(SP), Brazil | Department of Anatomic Pathology, Hospital do A. C. Camargo, São Paulo (SP), Brazil | Department of General Pathology, Faculty of Dentistry of the University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

Note: [] Corresponding author: Lara Termini, PhD, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Laboratory of Virology, Hospital Alemão Oswaldo Cruz, Rua João Julião, 245 1° andar, 01323-903 – São Paulo – SP, Brazil. Tel.: +55 11 3549 0461; E-mail: ltermini@vrg.ludwig.org.br

Abstract: Objective: Superoxide dismutase-2 (SOD2) is considered one of the most important antioxidant enzymes that regulate cellular redox state in normal and tumorigenic cells. Overexpression of this enzyme may be involved in carcinogenesis, particularly in lung, gastric, colorectal and breast cancer. Methods: In the present study, we have evaluated SOD2 protein levels by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in 331 cervical histological samples including 31 low-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (LSIL), 51 high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (HSIL), 197 squamous cervical carcinomas (SCC) and 52 cervical adenocarcinomas (ADENO). Results: We observed that SOD2 staining increases with cervical disease severity. Intense SOD2 staining was found in 13% of LSIL, 25.5% of HSIL and 40% of SCC. Moreover, 65.4% of ADENO exhibited intense SOD2 staining. Conclusions: Differences in the expression of SOD2 could potentially be used as a biomarker for the characterization of different stages of cervical disease.

Keywords: Human papillomavirus, Tissue Microarray, Biomarker, Cervical Ne oplasia, Superoxide Dismutase-2

DOI: 10.3233/DMA-2011-0784

Journal: Disease Markers, vol. 30, no. 6, pp. 275-281, 2011