Background:TMEM16A is a novel gene that we recently identified by high-resolution mapping of chromosomal band 11q13 in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). The goal of the present study is to characterize the cellular distribution, expression profile, and function of this gene in SCCHN.
Methods: We prepared a polyclonal antibody against an immunogenic region of TMEM16A. The antibody was validated by epitope blocking and subsequently used for immunoblotting and immunofluorescence experiments. The expression profile of TMEM16A was evaluated in paired samples of SCCHN and normal adjacent mucosa by immunoblotting. The expression profile in SCCHN tumors was further investigated by immunohistochemical staining of an SCCHN tissue array (TMA). Small interfering RNA (siRNA) techniques were used to “knock down” TMEM16A in SCCHN cell lines. The effect of knockdown on cell proliferation was evaluated with an MTT assay.