title: Expression of thymidylate synthase and glutathione-s-transferase pi in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the expression of thymidylate synthase (TS) and glutathione-s-transferase pi (GST-pi) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and their association with the clinicopathologic characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunohistochemical methods were used to detect the expression of TS and GST-pi in surgically resected formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) tissue sections from 102 patients (median age, 58 years) and in 28 normal esophageal mucosa (NEM) samples. The relationship between TS and GST-pi expression and clinicopathologic factors was examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression of TS and GST-pi was not statistically significantly associated with age of the patients, tumor size, lymph node metastasis, depth of invasion or tumor stage. TS staining was positive in 17.86% of normal esophageal mucosa and in 42.16% of ESCC samples (P < 0.05). The expression level of TS was not only significantly lower in well-differentiated (21.88%) than in poorly-differentiated carcinomas (51.43%, P < 0.05), but was also significantly higher in samples from male patients (46.51%) than from female patients (18.75%, P < 0.05). GST-pi was positively stained in 78.57% of normal esophageal mucosa and in 53.92% of ESCC samples (P < 0.05). The expression level of GST-pi was also significantly higher in well-differentiated carcinomas (65.63%) than in poorly-differentiated carcinomas (35.00%, P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expression of TS and of GST-pi may be used as molecular markers for the characterization of ESCC. Poorly-differentiated cells showed increased expression of TS and reduced expression of GST-pi.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology and Pathology, The People's Hospital of Taizhou, Taizhou Medical School, Yangzhou & Nantong University, Taizhou 225300, Jiangsu Province, China. huangjunxing@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Jun-Xing
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Feng-Yue
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: Zheng-Xiang
authors.initials: ZX
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Rong-Yu
authors.initials: RY
authors.lastname: Qian
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Eeva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Salminen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D004947:Esophagus / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D051549:Glutathione S-Transferase pi / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013940:Thymidylate Synthase / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D013940:Thymidylate Synthase; C496556:GSTP1 protein, human; D051549:Glutathione S-Transferase pi