Expression and clinical significance of Ezrin and E-cadherin in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
It has been proven that Ezrin protein may interact with E-cadherin protein and take part in metastasis of tumor cells. This study was to investigate the expressions of Ezrin and E-cadherin in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and their relationship with the clinicopathologic factors, and analyze their diagnostic values for ESCC.


METHODS
The expression of Ezrin and E-cadherin in 72 specimen of ESCC and the paracancer normal squamous epithelium was detected using tissue array with SP immunohistochemistry. Their correlations to the clinicopathologic factors were analyzed statistically.


RESULTS
The positive rate of Ezrin was significantly higher in ESCC than in para-cancer normal squamous epithelium (90.7% vs. 46.0%, P < 0.001); the positive rate of E-cadherin was significantly lower in ESCC than in para-cancer normal squamous epithelium (27.6% vs. 97.4%, P < 0.001). Ezrin expression was related to the invasiveness and lymph node metastasis of ESCC (P < 0.05); E-cadherin expression was related to the differentiation and lymph node metastasis of ESCC (P < 0.05). The high expression of Ezrin was related to the low expression of E-cadherin (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The activation of Ezrin and the absence of E-cadherin contribute to the tumorigenesis and metastasis of ESCC.
Zhai
Jian-Wen
JW
Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, Hebei 056002, P.R. China. zhaijw001@126.com
Yang
Xiao-Gang
XG
Yang
Fu-Shen
FS
Hu
Ji-Gang
JG
Hua
Wen-Xia
WX
D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D000099149:Ezrin
D015820:Cadherins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D000099149:Ezrin