title: Expression and clinical significance of Ezrin and E-cadherin in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Hebei University of Engineering, Handan, Hebei 056002, P.R. China. zhaijw001@126.com
authors.forename: Jian-Wen
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.forename: Xiao-Gang
authors.initials: XG
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Fu-Shen
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Ji-Gang
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Wen-Xia
authors.initials: WX
authors.lastname: Hua
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D000099149:Ezrin