Introduction: Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common malignancy of the oral cavity, and angiogenesis plays a critical role in its growth and progression. CD105 (endoglin) is a membrane protein recognized as a specific marker of neoangiogenesis and may have prognostic value in patients with OSCC. This study aimed to assess CD105 expression in OSCC and compare it with normal oral mucosa.
Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, archival samples including 13 OSCC specimens with different grades of differentiation (well, moderate, poor) and 5 normal oral mucosa samples were examined. CD105 expression was evaluated using immunohistochemistry, and microvessel density was counted in hotspot areas. Data were analyzed using appropriate statistical tests, and a significance level of p < 0.05 was considered.
Results: CD105 expression was significantly higher in OSCC compared with normal mucosa (p = 0.000). The mean CD105 expression increased with decreasing tumor differentiation; the highest expression was observed in poorly differentiated tumors, while the lowest was in well-differentiated tumors (p = 0.043).
Conclusion: The elevated expression of CD105 in tumor tissues compared with normal mucosa and its association with lower differentiation indicate a key role of this marker in tumor neoangiogenesis and OSCC progression. Therefore, CD105 can be considered a valuable biomarker for predicting disease severity and a potential target for anti-angiogenic therapy.