title: Contactin-1 (CNTN-1) overexpression is correlated with advanced clinical stage and lymph node metastasis in oesophageal squamous cell carcinomas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma is one of the deadliest malignancies worldwide. Contactin-1, a neural adhesion molecule, is implicated in tumour invasion and metastasis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of CNTN-1 in normal and cancerous oesophageal tissue, and the potential relevance to clinicopathological features.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty normal oesophageal tissue samples and 82 primary oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissue samples were included in this study. The expression levels of CNTN-1, VEGF-C and HIF-1α messenger RNA were determined using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The expression of the CNTN-1 protein was measured using immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression of CNTN-1 messenger RNA was significantly increased in the tumour tissue compared with the normal oesophageal tissue (P=0.001). The oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissue consistently showed higher CNTN-1 protein levels. The CNTN-1 expression correlated with the oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma stage (P=0.006), lymph node metastasis (P=0.018) and lymphatic invasion (P=0.035). The messenger RNA level of CNTN-1 correlated significantly with those of VEGF-C and HIF-1α.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expression of CNTN-1 is upregulated in the oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissue and related to stage, lymph node metastasis and lymphatic invasion. Thus, CNTN-1 may be involved in the progression and pathogenesis of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, The Affiliated Jiangyin Hospital of Southeast University Medical School, 163 Shoushan Rd, Jiangyin 214400, China. pengfeimd@163.com
authors.forename: Pengfei
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Simin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wenting
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Bingtuan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Weidong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Fangjun
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiaowei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Shuyu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D058967:Contactin 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018450:Disease Progression; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012307:Risk Factors; D015854:Up-Regulation; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C548669:CNTN1 protein, human; D058967:Contactin 1; C497442:HIF1A protein, human; D051795:Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D042582:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor C