title: Ezrin expression and its phosphorylation in gastric carcinoma with lymphoid stroma and Epstein-Barr virus infection.
abstract: Gastric carcinoma with lymphoid stroma (GCLS) is a unique variant of gastric carcinoma that represents prominent lymphocytic infiltration and is correlated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. Ezrin expression and activation are crucial in tumor metastasis and induce cell migration of EBV-related nasopharyngeal carcinomas. Using immunohistochemical methods, the expression of total and phosphorylated ezrin (p-ezrin), Thr567, was examined in 104 GCLS cases, including 78 EBV-positive and 26 EBV-negative cases, as well as 29 non-GCLS cases. Positive ezrin expression was detected to be at markedly higher levels in GCLS compared to non-GCLS (P<0.0001). Furthermore, ezrin expression was detected to be at higher levels in EBV-positive compared to EBV-negative GCLS (P=0.0294). High expression of p-ezrin in GCLS was associated with positive lymph node metastasis (P=0.0187). In summary, these results demonstrated that ezrin overexpression is correlated with the histologic characteristics of GCLS and EBV infection. Phosphorylation of ezrin may, therefore, contribute to lymph node metastasis in GCLS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomic Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka;
authors.forename: Taro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tobo
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomic Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka;
authors.forename: Minako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirahashi
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Pathology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomic Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka;
authors.forename: Shinichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aishima
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomic Pathology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka;
authors.forename: Yoshinao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Oda
keywords: Epstein-Barr virus; ezrin; gastric carcinoma; lymphoid stroma