title: [Expressions of Sonic hedgehog and matrix metalloproteinase 2 in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and the clinicopathological implications].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the expressions of Sonic hedgehog (Shh) and matrix metalloproteinases 2 (MMP2) in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and their association with the clinicopathological features.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunohistochemistry was employed to examine the expressions of Shh and MMP2 in 48 specimens of ESCC and 44 specimens of adjacent tissues.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The positivity rate of Shh expression in ESCC (75%) was significantly higher than that in the adjacent tissues (20.45%). Shh expression was located mainly in the cell nuclei and cytoplasm, and was closely correlated with TNM stage. Positive MMP2 expression was detected in 68.75% of the ESCC tissues as compared to 22.72% in the adjacent tissues. MMP2 expression was localized mainly in the cytoplasm, and its expression level was closely correlated with TNM stage and lymph node metastasis. A positive correlation was found between Shh and MMP2 expressions in the 48 ESCC tissues (R=0.037, P=0.019).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expression of Shh protein may be involved in tumor invasion and metastasis of ESCC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, Xi'an Jiaotong University College of Medicine, Xi'an, China. butno@126.com
authors.forename: Zhilong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Lifang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jiansheng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D000077277:Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; D005260:Female; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging
chemical_list: D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; C509239:SHH protein, human; C522361:MMP2 protein, human; D020778:Matrix Metalloproteinase 2