title: Expression of Smad4, TGF-βRII, and p21waf1in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissue.
abstract: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) possesses one of the worst prognoses out of the digestive carcinomas. Several studies have suggested that transforming growth factor β receptor type II (TGF-βRII), Smad family member 4 (Smad4) and p21 wild-type p53-activated factor 1 (p21waf1) are associated with esophageal SCC. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of Smad4, TGF-βRII and p21waf1in esophageal squamous cancer tissue and the pathological significance of the effect. An immunohistochemical method was used to evaluate the expression levels of Smad4, TGF-βRII and p21waf1in specimens of esophageal SCC lesions obtained from 80 patients. It was found that the expression of Smad4, TGF-βRII and p21waf1in histologically-classified grade I esophageal SCC, without invasion or lymph node metastasis, was markedly higher compared with grade III esophageal SCC that had invaded into the deep muscular or serous layer and metastasized to the lymph nodes (P<0.05). Analysis of the expression level of Smad4, TGF-βRII and p21waf1, as well as the clinical and pathological characteristics of esophageal SCC, revealed that the three proteins may be associated with the carcinogenesis, biological behavior and prognosis of esophageal SCC, parallel to the pathological stage and cell grade.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, P.R. China.
authors.forename: L U
authors.initials: LU
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, P.R. China.
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Zhan
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiotherapy, Hubei Provincial Tumor Hospital, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Benhui
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
keywords: Smad family member 4; esophageal squamous cell neoplasms; p21waf1; transforming growth factor β receptor type II