PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - W. Y. Kim AU - J.-W. Lee AU - J.-J. Choi AU - C. H. Choi AU - T.-J. Kim AU - B.-G. Kim AU - S. Y. Song AU - D.-S. Bae TI - Increased expression of Toll-like receptor 5 during progression of cervical neoplasia AID - 10.1111/j.1525-1438.2007.01008.x DP - 2008 Feb 01 TA - International Journal of Gynecologic Cancer PG - 300--305 VI - 18 IP - 2 4099 - http://ijgc.bmj.com/content/18/2/300.short 4100 - http://ijgc.bmj.com/content/18/2/300.full SO - Int J Gynecol Cancer2008 Feb 01; 18 AB - The purpose of this study was to determine whether Toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5) expression was associated with disease progression in cervical neoplasia. TLR5 expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in 55 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded cervical tissues; 10 normal cervical specimens, 9 low-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasias (CINs), 12 high-grade CINs, and 24 invasive squamous cell carcinomas (ISCCs). TLR5 expression was also evaluated at the RNA level, in fresh, frozen cervical carcinoma tissues by real-time quantitative RT-PCR. TLR5 expression, which was mainly observed as cytoplasmic staining, gradually increased in accordance with the histopathologic grade in the following order: low-grade CIN less than high-grade CIN less than ISCC (P< 0.001). Immunohistochemical staining showed that TLR5 expression was undetectable (80%) or weak (20%) in normal cervical squamous epithelial tissues. However, moderate expression was detected in 33.3% of low-grade CIN (3/9), 41.7% of high-grade CIN (5/12), and 45.8% of ISCC (11/24). Strong expression was detected in as much as 33.3% of high-grade CIN (4/12) and 50% of ISCC (12/24). Contrary to IHC results, real-time quantitative RT-PCR revealed that TLR5 expression in tumors was not statistically different compared to normal cervical tissues (P= 0.1452). The IHC result suggests that TLR5 may play a significant role in tumor progression of cervical neoplasia and may represent a useful marker for malignant transformation of cervical squamous cells.