Detection of STAT2 in early stage of cervical premalignancy and in cervical cancer.
OBJECTIVE
To measure the expression pattern of STAT2 in cervical cancer initiation and progression in tissue sections from patients with cervicitis, dysplasia, and cervical cancer.


METHODS
Antibody against human STAT2 was confirmed by plasmids transient transfection and Western blot. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect STAT2 expression in the cervical biopsies by using the confirmed antibody against STAT2 as the primary antibody.


RESULTS
It was found that the overall rate of positive STAT2 expression in the cervicitis, dysplasia and cervical cancer groups were 38.5%, 69.4% and 76.9%, respectively. The STAT2 levels are significantly increased in premalignant dysplasia and cervical cancer, as compared to cervicitis (P< 0.05). Noticeably, STAT2 signals were mainly found in the cytoplasm, implying that STAT2 was not biologically active.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings reveal an association between cervical cancer progression and augmented STAT2 expression. In conclusion, STAT2 increase appears to be an early detectable cellular event in cervical cancer development.
Department of Pathology, Hunan Province Tumor Hospital, Changsha, China.
Zeng
Z
Liang
Li-Hua
LH
Gao
Li-Jun
LJ
Cao
De-Yun
DY
Feng
Ya
Y
Cao
Qi-Zhi
QZ
Luo
Ping
P
Yu
Ming
M
Li
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D055088:Early Detection of Cancer; D005260:Female; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D050795:STAT2 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D014162:Transfection; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology
D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D050795:STAT2 Transcription Factor