Expression of eukaryotic initiation factor 4 E in hypopharyngeal carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression of eukaryotic initiation factor 4 E (eIF4E) in hypopharyngeal carcinoma compared with benign lesions, and the relationships between eIF4E expression and various clinicopathological parameters.


METHODS
Expression of eIF4E was analysed retrospectively in specimens from hypopharyngeal carcinomas and benign hypopharyngeal lesions using immunohistochemical staining and Western blotting. Tumours were classified using the tumour-node-metastasis staging system and the degree of histological differentiation was assessed.


RESULTS
A total of 55 hypopharyngeal carcinoma and 20 benign specimens were analysed. All the hypopharyngeal carcinoma samples were positive for eIF4E expression on immunohistochemistry, whereas the benign lesions were negative or weakly positive. Semi-quantitative assessment (eIF4E score) showed that eIF4E expression was significatly higher in hypopharyngeal carcinoma than in benign lesions. On Western blotting, eIF4E expression assessed using integrated optical density (IOD) was significantly higher in hypopharyngeal carcinoma than in benign lesions. The eIF4E score and IOD value were significantly associated with tumour stage, lymphatic metastasis and degree of differentiation. The IOD value was significantly higher in recurrent compared with initial cases.


CONCLUSIONS
eIF4E may play an important role in the development and metastasis of hypopharyngeal carcinoma;its expression may be helpful in establishing the diagnosis, stage and prognosis of this tumour type.
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China hanminjn@163.com.
Min
M
Han
Department of Cardiac Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
Wei
W
Wang
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
Lin
L
Wang
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
Yan
Y
Jiang
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D039561:Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4E / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D039561:Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4E
Eukaryotic initiation factor 4 E; Western blot; hypopharyngeal carcinoma; immunohistochemistry