Distribution of PAX1 and ZNF582 Hypermethylation in the Oral Exfoliated Cells of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Sep 23, 2026

PAX1 and ZNF582 DNA methylation are evaluated as promising biomarkers for detecting oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). The study investigates how methylation distributes across exfoliated oral epithelial cells (OECs) collected from cancerous lesions, adjacent normal sites, and contralateral normal sites. Analysis combines methylation data from TCGA with UALCAN, and includes OSCC cases from Peking University, assessing site-specific methylation differences.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages12

Reading Time30 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Introduction

Clinical significance of OSCC

Biomarkers and tumor suppressor gene methylation

Risk factors and current research gaps

Distribution of PAX1 and ZNF582 Hypermethylation in the Oral Exfoliated Cells of Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Ya-Qing Mao 1,2*, Rui Sun 1,2,3*, Shuo Liu 1,2, Wen-Bo Zhang 1,2 , Yao Yu 1,2, Ling-Fei Jia 1,2, Guang-Yan Yu 1,2 and Xin Peng 1,2 Clinical Medicine Insights: Oncology Volume 19: 1-12 © The Author(s) 2025 Article reuse guidelines: [sagepub.com/journals-permissions](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[ ](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[DOI: 10.1177/11795549251335172](DOI: 10.1177/11795549251335172)[ ](DOI: 10.1177/11795549251335172)[journals.sagepub.com/home/onc](journals.sagepub.com/home/onc) Abstract Background: The DNA methylation statuses of PAX1 and ZNF582 show great promise as biomarkers for the detection of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). This study aims to investigate the distribution of PAX1 or ZNF582 methylationin the exfoliated oral epithelial cells (OECs) of OSCC. Methods: Methylation data from 528 tumors and 50 adjacent nontumor tissues were acquired from The Cancer Genome Atlas and analyzed using UALCAN database. Sixty-one OSCC cases from Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology were included in this study and the exfoliated OECs collected by oral swabs were collected from the cancerous lesion (CL), adjacent normal (AN), and contralateral normal (CN) sites. The methylation levels of these 2 genes in different sites were evaluated. Results: PAX1 and ZNF582 were both hypermethylated in OSCC compared with nontumor sites but showed different methylation patterns within the oral environment. Generally, a CL-centric methylation pattern of PAX1 where methylation levels decrease gradually from CL through AN to CN was observed, suggesting a field cancerization effect. ZNF582 methylation levels are significantly higher at lesion sites compared with normal sites, but no significant difference is observed between AN and CN. Coexistence of ZNF582 methylation in CL and AN or CN sites was also observed in some patients with OSCC. Furthermore, ZNF582 methylation was more sensitive among patients with OSCC. Conclusions: DNA methylation detection of PAX1 and ZNF582 in the exfoliated OECs is helpful for OSCC diagnosis. Hypermethylated PAX1 and ZNF582 show different methylation patterns in the oral cavity of patients with OSCC. Keywords Oral squamous cell carcinoma, DNA methylation, oral swab, PAX1, ZNF582, field cancerization, tumor suppressor gene Received: 7 December 2024; accepted: 27 March 2025 Introduction Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most prevalent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC),1 which is more prevalent in Asian countries than in Western countries.2 OSCC can severely impact patients’ functions, appearance, quality of life, and survival outcomes.3 It is characterized by a high rate of cervical lymph node metastasis and a tendency for recurrence.4 The Asian region is a high-incidence and high-mortality area for HNSCC.5 According to follow-up data of Chinese cancer patients from 2003 to 2021,6,7 the 5-year survival rate of patients with HNSCC increased from 42.2% to 52. 1% . With the improvements in medical techniques and quality, early diagnosis and treatment are becoming increasingly effective in 1 Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Beijing, P.R. China 2National Center for Stomatology, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, National Engineering Research Center of Oral Biomaterials and Digital Medical Devices, Beijing, P.R. China 3State Key Laboratory of Oral & Maxillofacial Reconstruction and Regeneration, Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Stomatology, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, P.R. China *These two authors contributed equally to this work. Corresponding Author: Xin Peng, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology, No.

FAQs

What is the study’s main goal regarding PAX1 and ZNF582?

To investigate how PAX1 and ZNF582 methylation is distributed in exfoliated oral epithelial cells from OSCC across different oral sites.

Which data sources and methods were used for the methylation analysis?

Methylation data from 528 tumors and 50 adjacent non-tumor tissues were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas and analyzed using the UALCAN database; additional OSCC cases were included from Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology.

What methylation patterns were observed for PAX1 and ZNF582 across lesion and normal sites?

PAX1 showed a lesion-centered pattern with methylation decreasing from cancerous lesion to adjacent normal and contralateral normal sites. ZNF582 showed higher methylation at lesion sites than normal sites, with no significant difference between adjacent normal and contralateral normal.

Sep 23, 2026

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