Abstract
Mutation and overexpression are the main activating mechanisms for the ras family of genes in human cancer and the variable tandem repeat (VTR) located at the 3' end of H-ras has been associated with this risk. In the present study, we have analysed the relative levels of expression of H-ras mRNA in 26 samples of squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (SCCHN) by competitive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (competitive RT-PCR) and also investigated whether there is an association between ras expression and alterations in the 3'-VTR region. In addition, we have studied the incidence of point mutations in codon 12 of H-ras, codons 12 and 13 of K-ras and codon 61 of N-ras in 120 SCCHN samples. Our results indicate that only two samples carry mutations, both of which are located in codon 12 of K-ras, but that overexpression of the H-ras proto-oncogene is a frequent event in SCCHN [54% (14/26)] and is associated with a favourable prognosis: 3 of 14 patients with H-ras overexpression have died, whereas 9 of 12 patients with low levels of H-ras expression have died. We have also undertaken an analysis of these results together with our previous investigations on microsatellite instability and loss of heterozygosity in SCCHN, but no associations were found. We therefore conclude that ras mutations are an infrequent event in the progression of the SCCHN in the Western world, whereas overexpression of the H-ras proto-oncogene is a common event.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 24 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $10.79 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kiaris, H., Spandidos, D., Jones, A. et al. Mutations, expression and genomic instability of the H-ras proto-oncogene in squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck. Br J Cancer 72, 123–128 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1995.287
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/bjc.1995.287
This article is cited by
-
Promoter hypomethylation as potential confounder of Ras gene overexpression and their clinical significance in subsets of urothelial carcinoma of bladder
Molecular Biology Reports (2021)
-
Predictive Value of EGFR-PI3K-AKT-mTOR-Pathway Inhibitor Biomarkers for Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review
Molecular Diagnosis & Therapy (2021)
-
Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone Receptor Splice Variant 1 is Frequently Expressed in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinomas
Hormones and Cancer (2012)
-
Mutational analysis of HRAS and KRAS genes in oral carcinoma cell lines
Odontology (2012)
-
H-Ras mutation modulates the expression of major cell cycle regulatory proteins and disease prognosis in oral carcinoma
Modern Pathology (2007)