Expression of the Krüppel-type zinc finger gene, ZK7, in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and normal mucosa

ZK7 is thought to be involved in the inhibitory effect of vascular endothelial growth factor on apoptotic cell death in human hematopoietic cells. In the present study, we examined the effects of ZK7 on human head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). The expression levels of messenger RNA for ZK7 in HNSCC clinical specimens exposed to platinum drugs and/or ionizing radiation were found to be higher than those in non-exposed specimens (P=0.0116). Cell lines examination showed that ZK7 over-expressing cells had low sensitivity to the chemotherapeutic agent cisplatin and ionizing radiation. These results suggest that ZK7 may inhibit apoptotic cell death in HNSCC.