Negative expression of N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V in oral squamous cell carcinoma correlates with poor prognosis

N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase V (GnT-V), an enzyme with a key role in the branching of asparagine-linked oligosaccharides, is strongly linked to tumor invasion and metastasis of many solid tumors. Here we searched for correlations between the clinical features of patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and GnT-V expression in the tumor, and we studied the feasibility of using GnT-V as a marker for oral cancer prognosis. Samples from 68 patients with OSCC were examined by immunohistochemistry using antibodies against GnT-V. Correlations between the expression level of GnT-V in the tumor and patient clinical features were statistically analyzed. Positive GnT-V expression was found in 48 cases (70.6%), and negative GnT-V expression was found in 20 cases (29.4%). Negative GnT-V expression was associated with mode of invasion by multiple logistic regression analysis (OR: 3.605; P = 0.048). Biological characteristics of tumors and the Ki-67 labeling index were higher in tumors with negative GnT-V expression than in those with positive GnT-V expression, although the difference was not significant (P = 0.176). Patients with negative GnT-V expression had significantly shorter survival than those with tumors having positive GnT-V expression (5-year survival rate, 58.2% and 86.5%, respectively; P = 0.025). Negative GnT-V expression was a significant unfavorable prognostic factor for OSCC (hazard ratio, 4.246; P = 0.045). The loss of GnT-V expression is a likely indicator of tumors with high potential of tumor invasion and poor prognosis in OSCC patients.