Aberrant expression of DUSP4 is a specific phenomenon in betel quid-related oral cancer

Oral cancer due to betel quid chewing habit is very common in South Asian countries. We attempted to detect the presence of a novel gene in epithelial cells stimulated with arecoline, a main component of betel quid. Human gingival epithelial progenitors were cultured and treated with a 3-day alternating regimen with/without 50 μg/ml arecoline for 1 month. DNA microarray and methylation arrays were analyzed to identify the candidate genes. Immunohistochemical staining was performed in the tissue samples. Genome-wide analyses, quantitative reverse transcription PCR and quantitative methylation-specific PCR revealed DUSP4 as the most significant and promising gene. The methylation levels of DUSP4 were significantly higher in the betel quid-related oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) than those in the non-related OSCC and controls (Mann–Whitney U test, p < 0.05). The number of DUSP4 immunopositive cells in betel quid-related OSCC was significantly higher than those from the non-chewing patients and the controls ( p < 0.05). Hypermethylation of DUSP4 may be considered as a specific event in betel quid-related oral cancer.