The relationship between cyclooxygenase-2, CD44v6, and nm23H1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Esophageal cancer is the fourth most prevalent malignancy in China. The relationship between COX-2, CD44v6, and nm23H1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains unclear.


METHODS
Expression of COX-2, CD44v6, and nm23H1 was examined, using the streptavidin-peroxidase method, in 82 ESCC and 30 normal esophageal mucosa (NEM) samples from the Shaanxi Province in China.


RESULTS
The positive rates of COX-2, CD44v6, and nm23H1 were 73.2% (60/82), 64.6% (53/82), and 24.4% (31/82), respectively in ESCC, but 6.7% (2/30), 3.3% (1/30), and 90% (27/30), respectively in NEMs. There was a statistically significant difference between NEMs and ESCCs (p < 0.05). Expression of COX-2 showed a positive statistical correlation with expression of CD44v6 (r = 0.4732, p < 0.0001), and an inverse correlation with nm23H1 (r = -0.3226, p = 0.0035). Expression of COX-2, CD44v6, and nm23H1 had no significant correlation with gender or age (p > 0.05), but increased expression of COX-2 and CD44v6 showed statistical correlation with invasion and lymph node metastasis, respectively (p < 0.05). Decreased expression of nm23H1 was statistically correlated with lymph node metastasis (p = 0.0007) but had no correlation with invasion (p = 0.8221).


CONCLUSIONS
This is the first report of a significant correlation between COX-2, CD44v6, and nm23H1 in ESCC. This knowledge might help us to further understand the molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis and progression of ESCC.
Liu
Wen-Kang
WK
The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Biomedical Engineering Postdoctoral Research Station, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an Shaanxi Province, PR China. lwk2001@263.net
Fu
Qing
Q
Li
Yun-Ming
YM
Jiang
Xiang-Yang
XY
Zhang
Mei-Ping
MP
Zhang
Zhen-Xi
ZX
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000032:analysis*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors / Q000032:analysis*; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054778:NM23 Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinases / Q000032:analysis*; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000032:analysis*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C112697:CD44v6 antigen; D018960:Hyaluronan Receptors; D054778:NM23 Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinases; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human