Figure 1

HOXD10 expression in a panel of normal, OPL and HNSCC cells and in HNSCC tissues. (A) HOXD10 expression in a panel of normal oral keratinocytes, oral premalignant lesion and HNSCC cell lines, assessed using qPCR. HOXD10 expression is high in primary HNSCC, low in HNSCC metastases and variable in OPLs. Each assay was conducted in triplicate and repeated three times. The data show the mean of triplicate repeats±s.e.m. (B) Examples of expression of HOXD10 as assessed using IHC in normal, OPL and HNSCC tissues (from the cohort in C), demonstrating high expression in primary HNSCC. 1 is normal oral mucosa; 2 is OPL; 3 is primary HNSCC; and 4 is metastatic HNSCC. Photomicrograph overall magnification × 200, scale bar=200 μm. (C) Overall IHC Quickscore of HOXD10 expression in the full cohort of tissues from normal mucosa (n=30), OPL (n=18), primary HNSCC (n=82) and HNSCC metastases (n=27). ***P<0.001. (D) Mean Quickscore of HOXD10 expression assessed by IHC in a panel of 27 matched primary HNSCC with matched metastases. Expression of HOXD10 is lower in the metastasis in 23 out of 27 (85%) cases (P<0.05).