title: Altered expression and localization of desmoglein 3 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
abstract: Desmoglein 3 (DSG3), a transmembrane cadherin of the desmosomal cell-cell adhesion structure, plays vital roles in the maintenance of normal epithelial tissue architecture. Reports implicating a role for DSG3 expression in cancer are few and contradictory. In this study, immunohistochemical staining was employed to investigate DSG3 expression and subcellular localization in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), and to correlate changes with clinical characteristics. Results indicate that in normal squamous cell epithelia, strong DSG3 immunoreactivity was observed in the Stratum spinosum, and localization occurred only at the cell membrane. In ESCC, DSG3 immunoreactivity displayed an abnormal cytoplasmic localization that was correlated with cell differentiation (P=0.018). Most strikingly, in 74.1% of the tumors, DSG3 expression was up-regulated and correlated with regional lymph node metastasis (P=0.036). Moreover, in patients without lymph node metastasis, cytoplasmic localization of DSG3 correlated with poor prognosis (P=0.044). These results suggest that DSG3 is involved in the development of ESCC and imply that DSG3 overexpression is likely to be an essential contributor to the aggressive features of esophageal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China; The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China.
authors.forename: Wang-Kai
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Oncologic Pathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Institute of Oncologic Pathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China.
authors.forename: Xiu-E
authors.initials: XE
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Oncologic Pathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China.
authors.forename: Lian-Di
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology Surgery, Affiliated Shantou Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shantou, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Yong
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China.
authors.forename: Jian-Yi
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Oncologic Pathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China.
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China; Institute of Oncologic Pathology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China. Electronic address: lyxu@stu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Li-Yan
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China; The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, China. Electronic address: nmli@stu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: En-Min
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D051184:Desmoglein 3 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000077277:Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis
chemical_list: D051184:Desmoglein 3
keywords: Desmoglein 3; Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; Prognosis