title: Neoplastic spindle cells in nasopharyngeal carcinoma show features of epithelial-mesenchymal transition.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether the neoplastic spindle cells in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) are associated with the process of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT).
  
  
  RESULTS
  We used immunohistochemistry to analyse the expression of cytokeratin, E-cadherin, β-catenin, vimentin, fibronectin, Snail1, Slug and aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 (ALDH1) in 115 cases of NPC in which there were neoplastic spindle cells; in 47 cases a neoplastic squamous cell component was also present. There was no significant difference in the expression of cytokeratin observed in the neoplastic spindle cells (P = 0.644), compared to the squamous component whereas E-cadherin expression was reduced. By contrast, the expression of β-catenin, vimentin, fibronectin, Snail1, Slug and ALDH1 was up-regulated in the spindle cells (all P = 0.000). Furthermore, E-cadherin expression was associated negatively with β-catenin (P < 0.001), vimentin (P < 0.001), fibronectin (P < 0.001), Slug (P < 0.001) and ALDH1 (P < 0.001) in neoplastic spindle cells, but did not correlate with Snail1 expression (P = 0.093).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings demonstrate for the first time that EMT might play an important role in the development of neoplastic spindle cells in NPC.
authors.affiliation: Key Lab for Transcriptomics and Proteomics of Human Fatal Diseases, Cancer Research Institute, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Wei-Ren
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Xiao-Yi
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Si-Yi
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ai-Bing
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Kai-Tai
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Yao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000080924:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D007633:Keratins / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D050697:Retinal Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D000071250:Snail Family Transcription Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014746:Vimentin / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015820:Cadherins; D005353:Fibronectins; D007527:Isoenzymes; C000604407:SNAI1 protein, human; D000071250:Snail Family Transcription Factors; D014157:Transcription Factors; D014746:Vimentin; D051176:beta Catenin; D007633:Keratins; D000080924:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family; C510223:ALDH1A1 protein, human; D050697:Retinal Dehydrogenase