title: Prognostic relevance of Centromere protein H expression in esophageal carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many kinetochore proteins have been shown to be associated with human cancers. The aim of the present study was to clarify the expression of Centromere protein H (CENP-H), one of the fundamental components of the human active kinetochore, in esophageal carcinoma and its correlation with clinicopathological features.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined the expression of CENP-H in immortalized esophageal epithelial cells as well as in esophageal carcinoma cells, and in 12 cases of esophageal carcinoma tissues and the paired normal esophageal tissues by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. In addition, we analyzed CENP-H protein expression in 177 clinicopathologically characterized esophageal carcinoma cases by immunohistochemistry. Statistical analyses were applied to test for prognostic and diagnostic associations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The level of CENP-H mRNA and protein were higher in the immortalized cells, cancer cell lines and most cancer tissues than in normal control tissues. Immunohistochemistry showed that CENP-H was expressed in 127 of 171 ESCC cases (74.3%) and in 3 of 6 esophageal adenocarcinoma cases (50%). Statistical analysis of ESCC cases showed that there was a significant difference of CENP-H expression in patients categorized according to gender (P = 0.013), stage (P = 0.023) and T classification (P = 0.019). Patients with lower CENP-H expression had longer overall survival time than those with higher CENP-H expression. Multivariate analysis suggested that CENP-H expression was an independent prognostic marker for esophageal carcinoma patients. A prognostic value of CENP-H was also found in the subgroup of T3 approximately T4 and N0 tumor classification.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that CENP-H protein is a valuable marker of esophageal carcinoma progression. CENP-H might be used as a valuable prognostic marker for esophageal carcinoma patients.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, PR China. guoxianzhi1226@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Xian-Zhi
authors.initials: XZ
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Ge
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jun-Ye
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wan-Li
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ju-Qin
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Li-Hua
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Jing-Yan
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Li-Bing
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Mu-Sheng
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Zeng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D018386:Kinetochores / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological
chemical_list: C121933:CENPH protein, human; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone