Expression of c-Ets1 is associated with malignant potential in endometrial carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
The protooncogene c-ets1 is a transcriptional factor that controls the expression of a number of genes involved in extracellular matrix remodeling. It might play a role in the regulation of physiologic processes such as cell proliferation and differentiation and also is associated with angiogenesis, cell migration, and tumor invasion.


METHODS
To elucidate the involvement of c-Ets1 in endometrial carcinogenesis, the authors analyzed serial frozen sections for c-Ets1 protein expression in 20 cases of endometrial carcinoma and 20 cases of normal endometria by fluorescent immunohistochemistry. The authors analyzed the relation between the percentages of c-Ets1 stained cells and patient characteristics including histologic grade, surgical stage, presence of invasion to greater than one-half myometrium, presence of vascular involvement, presence of lymph node metastasis, and clinical outcome.


RESULTS
In the normal endometria, c-Ets1 was weakly detected at the luminal surface of endometrial glands in both the proliferative and secretory phases. Most of the c-Ets1 proteins were found in the cytoplasm and partly in the nucleus of endometrial carcinoma glands, and also in fluid secreted from endometrial carcinoma glands. Moreover, c-Ets1 was strongly expressed in the head portion of papillary carcinoma tissues that invaded the stroma. c-Ets1 expression was associated significantly with histologic grade (P < 0.005), the presence of invasion to greater than one-half myometrium (P < 0.001), surgical stage (P < 0.005), and vascular involvement (P = 0.009).


CONCLUSIONS
The authors' results show that c-Ets1 expression in endometrial carcinoma correlates with the malignant potential of this tumor.
Takai
N
N
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Oita Medical University, Oita, Japan. takai@oita-med.ac.jp
Miyazaki
T
T
Fujisawa
K
K
Nasu
K
K
Miyakawa
I
I
D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D050784:Proto-Oncogene Protein c-ets-1; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D050783:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis*
C494041:ETS1 protein, human; D050784:Proto-Oncogene Protein c-ets-1; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D050783:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-ets; D014157:Transcription Factors