To determine how SDF‐1α/CXCR4 activates nuclear factor‐kappa B (NF‐κB) and promotes oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) invasion.

A lentivirus‐based knockdown approach was utilized to deplete gene expression. NF‐κB activation was evaluated by Western blot analysis and electrophoretic mobility shift (EMSA).

We show that the activation of NF‐κB by CXCR4 occurs through the Carma3/Bcl10/Malt1 (CBM) complex in OSCC. We found that loss of components of the CBM complex in HNSCC can inhibit SDF‐1α induced phosphorylation and degradation of IκBα, while TNFα induced IKK activation remains unchanged. Further, we identified a role for novel and atypical, but not classical, PKCs in activating IKK through CXCR4. Importantly, inhibition of the CBM complex leads to a significant decrease in SDF‐1α mediated invasion of OSCC.

The CBM complex plays a critical role in CXCR4‐induced NF‐κB activation in OSCC. Targeting molecular components of the NF‐κB signaling pathway may provide an important therapeutic opportunity in controlling the progression and metastasis of OSCC mediated by SDF‐1α.

There is an increasing evidence for the role of high risk human papillomavirus (HPV) in the pathogenesis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relevance of HPV infection to the survival and prognosis of OSCC.

Fifty‐two patients with OSCC were followed from 4 to 88 months with a median of 50.7 months. HPV DNA was identified in formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded tumor specimens by nested PCR with MY09/MY11 and GP5⁺/GP6⁺ primer pairs and the HPV genotype was determined by direct DNA sequencing. Association between the HPV status and risk factors for cancer as well as tumor‐host characteristics were analyzed. Survival curves were calculated by the Kaplan‐Meier method and analyzed using the log‐rank test.

HPV was found in 40.4% of the tumors with HPV16 accounting for 63.5%, HPV18 for 30.8%, HPV6 for 3.9% and HPV11 for 1.8%. No infection with more than one HPV genotype was detected. HPV infection was significantly associated with poor histological grade, TNM stage I–II, alcohol usage and no smoking status. Multi‐variate analysis showed that HPV had an independent prognostic effect on the overall survival after adjusting other confounding factors such as histological grade, TNM stage and tobacco usage. The presence of HPV was significantly correlated with a better survival in patients with OSCC.

HPV infection can act as an independent predictor for the survival and prognosis of OSCC.

To elucidate the genetic basis for the pronounced resistance that the oral pathogen, Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis), exhibits towards the cationic antimicrobial peptide, polymyxin B.

A genetic screen of P. gingivalis clones generated by a Tn4400′‐based random insertion mutagenesis strategy was performed to identify bacteria harboring novel genetic mutations that render P. gingivalis susceptible to killing by the cationic antimicrobial peptide, polymyxin B (PMB, 50 μg·mL⁻¹).

P. gingivalis (ATCC 33277) is unusually resistant to the cationic antimicrobial peptide, PMB at relatively high concentrations (200 μg·mL⁻¹). Approximately 2,700 independent Tn4400′‐derived mutants of P. gingivalis were examined for increased sensitivity to PMB killing at a relatively low dose (50 μg·mL⁻¹). A single PMB‐sensitive mutant was obtained in this phenotypic screen. We determined that the Tn4400′ transposon was integrated into the gene encoding the lipid A 4′‐phosphatase, PGN_0524, demonstrating that this insertion event was responsible for its increased susceptibility of this clone to PMB‐dependent killing. The resulting mutant strain, designated 0524‐Tn4400′, was highly sensitive to PMB killing relative to wild‐type P. gingivalis, and exhibited the same sensitivity as the previously characterized strain, 0524KO, which bears a genetically engineered deletion in the PGN_0524 locus. Positive ion mass spectrometric structural (MALDI‐TOF MS) analyses revealed that lipid A isolates from 0524‐Tn4400′ and 0524KO strains displayed strikingly similar MALDI‐TOF MS spectra that were substantially different from the wild‐type P. gingivalis lipid A spectrum. Finally, intact 0524‐Tn4400′ and 0524KO mutant bacteria, as well as their corresponding LPS isolates, were significantly more potent in stimulating Toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4)‐dependent E‐selectin expression in human endothelial cells relative to intact wild‐type P. gingivalis or its corresponding LPS isolate.

The combined molecular evidence provided in this report suggests that PGN_0524, a lipid A 4′‐phosphatase, is the sole genetic element conferring the ability of the periodontopathogen, P. gingivalis, to evade the killing activity of cationic antimicrobial peptides, such as PMB. These data strongly implicate PGN_0524 as a critical virulence factor for the ability of P. gingivalis to evade front‐line host innate defenses that are dependent upon cationic antimicrobial peptide activity and TLR4 sensing.

It is our opinion that the CDC and the WHO have underestimated cross‐contamination under examination gloves in dental clinics while wearing jewelry, such as finger rings. These agencies only “recommend” removing jewelry, and only washing hands for 15 seconds with soap and warm water before donning gloves. This study examined several washing procedures and finger rings using simulated microbes.

A gloved rubber hand manikin was made and fitted with a fresh disposable vinyl glove. Four fingers were fitted with rings or no ring, dusted with simulated microbes, and washed with a scrub brush for 5, 15, and 25 seconds under 20°C and 40°C water alone, or with liquid hand soap. Light levels (in lux) of fluorescent powder before and after washing were measured and delta scores calculated for changes in light levels, equivalent to effectiveness of hand washing procedures.

A full‐factorial, 3‐factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to test for differences among levels of the three study factors—time, temperature, and soap use. Tukey's post hoc honestly significant difference (HSD) test was applied to significant factors to examine pair‐wise differences between factor levels.

It was found that the longer the hands with rings were washed with a scrub brush under flowing water, the more simulated microbes were removed. By 25 seconds, all methods were essentially the same. Simulated microbes were more difficult to remove from the palm compared to the back of the hand. The liquid hand soap used in this study was more effective with warm water than cold. When given a choice of washing with cold water up to 15 seconds, it would be preferable not to use soap to remove simulated microbes. Qualitatively, the outer surface of finger rings were more effectively cleaned than the crevice below the ring, and the ring with a stone setting appeared to accumulate and retain simulated microbes more than other rings.

The most effective treatment was washing with warm water and liquid soap. Longer times were more effective. Rings should not be worn under examination gloves due to difficulty cleaning in the crevice under the ring, and the well‐known consequences of cross‐contamination between the patient and the health care worker.

Understanding the response of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to mechanical strain and their consequent gene expression patterns will broaden our knowledge of the mechanobiology of distraction osteogenesis.

In this study, a single period of cyclic mechanical stretch (0.5 Hz, 2,000 μɛ) was performed on rat bone marrow MSCs. Cellular proliferation and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity was examined. The mRNA expression of six bone‐related genes (Ets‐1, bFGF, IGF‐II, TGF‐β, Cbfa1 and ALP) was detected using real‐time quantitative RT‐PCR.

The results showed that mechanical strain can promote MSCs proliferation, increase ALP activity, and up‐regulate the expression of these genes. A significant increase in Ets‐1 expression was detected immediately after mechanical stimulation, but Cbfa1 expression becameelevated later. The temporal expression pattern of ALP coincided perfectly with Cbfa1.

The results of this study suggest that mechanical strain may act as a stimulator to induce differentiation of MSCs into osteoblasts, and that these bone‐related genes may play different roles in the response of MSCs to mechanical stimulation.

To examine what impact the loss of funding had on the utilization of the oral pathology service.

Biopsy records were retrieved and examined in the two year period before and after the elimination of the subsidies in 2003.

After the loss of funding, there was a 31% decrease in the number of specimens submitted from practitioners in private practice, with the greatest drop noted in submissions from endodontists.

Despite the immediate decrease in the number of biopsies submitted after the introduction of fee‐for‐service, the number of specimens being submitted appears to be on the rise again, as practitioners appear to recognize the value of a specialized oral pathology diagnostic service.

To identify heterogeneity of Candida albicans (C. albicans) isolated from the population with cancer in China by using identification medium, subculture molecular typing, and antifungal susceptibility test.

Oral cheek mucosal specimens from 52 cancer patients receiving chemotherapy were cultured on CHROMagar Candida^TM plates for Candida identification. All the C. albicans colonies on the plates were subcultured and reconfirmed by API20C, then submitted to the antifungal drug susceptibility test with fluconazole and molecular typing using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA‐PCR (RAPD) with primers RSD6 and RSD12.

54% (28/52) patients were oral yeast carriage in which C. albicans predominated. More than 7 C. albicans colonies were isolated from each of 12 patients (Group A), while less than 5 colonies were isolated from each of 16 patients (Group B). RSD6 and RSD12 were successful in eliciting 17 (A1‐A17) and 2 (B1‐B2) genotypes, respectively from among the 205 isolates. The two primers were combined to generate 21 genotypes. The C. albicans isolates obtained from the same patient and episode showed a diversity for fluconazole revealed by MIC₅₀ and MIC₉₀.

The heterogeneity of the C. albicans colonies isolated from the same patients can be detected. C. albicans with varied fluconazole susceptibility and genotypic characteristics may coexist in the same oral Candida population.