SOX18 Expression in Non-melanoma Skin Cancer.

SRY-related HMG box protein 18 (SOX18) is a transcription factor involved in a range of physiological processes, including differentiation of endothelial cells during new vessel formation. Numerous studies are being conducted to determine its role in carcinogenesis.,Thirty-five cases of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), 61 cases of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), 15 cases of actinic keratosis (AK) and 15 normal skin (NS) cases were examined in the study. Expression of SOX18 was investigated with immunohistochemistry and light optic microscopy. The obtained results were subjected to statistical analysis including available clinicopathological data.,Nuclear expression of SOX18 was shown in vascular endothelial cells, basal layer cells of NS epidermis, as well as in AK, BCC and SCC cancer cells. Expression of SOX18 in SCC, BCC and AK cells was significantly higher than in NS (p<0.01, p<0.001 and p<0.01, respectively). Additionally, higher expression of SOX18 in BCC than in SCC cells (p<0.001) was observed.,SOX18 may play a role in the development of BCC and SCC. Further studies with the use of additional markers tested at the mRNA and protein level are necessary for better explanation of SOX18 function in cancer transformation.