Synaptic-Adhesion Molecules Neurexin 1 and Neuroligin 1 as Novel Prognostic Factors in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Background: Synaptic adhesion molecules regulate synapse development and maintenance. Neurexins and neuroligins have been implicated in psychiatric disorders, and shown that they are related to vascular system and carcinomas in recent studies. In the present study we focused neurexin 1 and neuroligin1, and investigated the relationship between those two molecules expression and clinical features of oral cancer. Materials and methods: Fifty-six biopsy samples from oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs) were analyzed semi quantitatively by immunohistochemistry. Correlations between the expression level of neurexin 1, neuroligin 1, p53, Ki67 and the clinical features of OSCCs were statistically analyzed. Results: The neurexin 1 expression group contained significantly advanced T (P < 0.05) and N classification positive cases (P < 0.01) by univariate analysis. Overall survival was compared with Kaplan-Meier analysis and the log rank statistic. The prognosis of neuroligin 1 expression group was significantly more favorable (P < 0.05). A Cox proportional hazards model was used to test the significance of survival time, and N classification positive (P < 0.05), neurexin 1 (P < 0.05) and neuroligin 1 (P < 0.01) were predictive factor for survival. Conclusions: Synaptic adhesive molecule could be useful prognosis factor for OSCC and may help to determine therapeutic policy