Overexpression of Ets-like protein 1 in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To study the expression pattern of Ets-like protein 1 (Elk-1) in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and to analyze its relationship with clinicopathologic parameters.


METHODS
The expression of Elk-1 in fresh esophageal cancer tissues and their corresponding normal mucosae was detected immunohistochemically (IHC) by means of tissue microarray (TMA). Its correlation with clinical characteristics was evaluated and analyzed by univariate analysis. All statistical analyses were performed by SPSS version 13.0.


RESULTS
Expression level of transcription factor Elk-1 increased in 78.5% (84/107) ESCC tissues compared with their matched normal esophageal epithelium. However, the expression of Elk-1 did not show any obvious correlation with degree of differentiation of esophageal carcinoma (in well-differentiated, moderately-differentiated and poorly-differentiated tumors, the increased expression was 7/8, 60/74, and 19/25, respectively, P > 0.05). Moreover, no obvious correlation was found with lymph node metastasis and depth of invasion.


CONCLUSIONS
Increased expression of transcription factor Elk-1 may play an important role in esophageal carcinogenesis.
Chen
An-Guo
AG
Department of Thoracic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, Anhui Province, China.
Yu
Zai-Cheng
ZC
Yu
Xin-Feng
XF
Cao
Wen-Feng
WF
Ding
Fang
F
Liu
Zhi-Hua
ZH
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D050807:ets-Domain Protein Elk-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D050807:ets-Domain Protein Elk-1