[Expression and significance of heat shock proteins in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression and significance of HSP27, HSP60, HSP70 and HSP90 alpha in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and tissues along the incision margin (TIM).


METHODS
The presence and the level of expression of HSP27, HSP60, HSP70 and HSP90 alpha were determined in 168 specimens from ESCC and 42 from tissues along TIM by EnVision immunohistochemistry and Western blotting, to compare their positive staining rates and explore the correlation between their expressions and clinicopathologic features in ESCC.


RESULTS
The positive staining rates of HSP27, HSP60, HSP70 and HSP90 alpha in ESCC and TIM were 62.0% and 42.1%, 92.7% and 63.2%, 57.9% and 22.2%, and 33.7% and 18.5%, respectively. There was very significant difference between the expression of HSP60 and HSP70 in ESCC and TIM (P < 0.01), but not significant about HSP27 and HSP90 alpha (P > 0.05). The positive staining rate of HSP27 declined with the lower grade of differentiation of ESCC (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The present findings suggest that the expression of HSPs of different molecular weight in ESCC and TIM is a common event. The level of expressions of HSP60 and HSP70 are higher than those in TIM. HSP60 and HSP70 expression correlated with the biological behavior of ESCC. The expression of HSP27 was positively correlated to the grade of differentiation of ESCC. Overexpression of HSP27 may be associated to the differentiation of squamous cell carcinoma.
Chen
Jun-Hui
JH
Department of Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Guangdong Shantou 515041, China. chenjh@stu.edu.cn
Chen
Li-Ming
LM
Xu
Li-Yan
LY
Wu
Ming-Yao
MY
Shen
Zhong-Ying
ZY
D015153:Blotting, Western; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D018834:Chaperonin 60 / Q000378:metabolism; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004947:Esophagus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D055551:HSP27 Heat-Shock Proteins; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018841:HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
D018834:Chaperonin 60; D055551:HSP27 Heat-Shock Proteins; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D018841:HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins; C057725:HSPB1 protein, human; D006360:Heat-Shock Proteins; D018832:Molecular Chaperones; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins