title: Expression of OCT4 in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma is significantly associated with poorer prognosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the expression pattern of OCT4 in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and its significance in diagnosis and prognosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Western blotting, immunocytochemistry and immunohistochemistry, the expression of OCT4 in three esophageal squamous cancer cell lines, KYSE70, KYSE140 and KYSE450, was characterized. OCT4 expression was investigated in a series of 153 esophageal squamous cell carcinoma samples using immunohistochemistry and explored its association with clinicopathological features.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immunohistochemically, OCT4 positive immunostaining was observed in cancer cell nuclei. OCT4 was variably expressed in three esophageal squamous cancer cell lines. Among 153 specimens, 105 (68.7%) were negative or weakly positive for OCT4 staining; 21 (13.7%) were moderately positive and 27 (17.6%) were strongly positive. Higher expression level of OCT4 was significantly associated with higher histological grade (P < 0.001) and poor clinic outcome (P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expression of OCT4 enables the tumor to have a higher degree of stemness, which in turn results in a poorer clinical outcome for patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan Province, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Feng
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yan-Ru
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Qin
authors.forename: Qing-Xia
authors.initials: QX
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3 / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D050814:Octamer Transcription Factor-3; C494173:POU5F1 protein, human