Expression of Wnt11 and Rock2 protein with clinical characteristics of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in Kazakh and Han patients.
BACKGROUND
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most malignancies with a very poor outcome in China. Wnt11 and Rock2, new identified proteins highly associated with metastasis of many cancers, which were never reported in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Here we measured the expression levels of Wnt11 and Rock2 in tissues from 265 patients with ESCC. Immunohistochemical staining was employed to detect the correlation of Wnt11 and Rock2 expression with clinicopathological features.


METHODS
The expression of Wnt11 and Rock2 was detected by immunohistochemistry in esophageal squamous cell carcinomas and normal esophageal tissues. A chi-square test was used to assess the statistical significance of the correlations between Wnt11, Rock2 expression and different clinicopathological parameters, respectively.


RESULTS
The high-expression of Wnt11 and Rock2 was observed in ESCCs. Seventy-five cases of ESCC (51.7%) showed a positive expression of Wnt11, which indicated a significant association with the AJCC stage (P=0.007). Ninety-eight cases of ESCC (65.5%) showed a positive expression of Rock2, which indicated a significant association with ethnic background. There were no close correlations between Rock2 expression and gender, tumor location, AJCC stage, lymph node metastasis. Specifically, the expression of Rock2 was significantly different between Hans and Kazaks ethnicities (P=0.000). In Kaplan-Meier curve analysis, no significant correlation was observed between the expression of Wnt11, Rock-2 and the poor prognosis of ESCCs.


CONCLUSIONS
Our finding suggests that the over-expression of Rock2 may play an important role in the carcinogenesis and progression, and may become a new underlying molecular marker in the diagnosis and treatment in ESCC.
Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital, Xinjiang Medical University Urumqi 830054, China.
Dong
D
Liu
Hypertension Center of the People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Hypertension Institute of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Urumqi 830001, China.
Keming
K
Zhou
Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital, Xinjiang Medical University Urumqi 830054, China.
Qiaoxin
Q
Li
Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital, Xinjiang Medical University Urumqi 830054, China.
Feiyan
F
Deng
Department of Pathology, First Affiliated Hospital, Xinjiang Medical University Urumqi 830054, China.
Yuqing
Y
Ma
D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D000077277:Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015854:Up-Regulation; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases / Q000032:analysis*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D051153:Wnt Proteins; C540523:Wnt11 protein, human; C515852:ROCK2 protein, human; D054460:rho-Associated Kinases
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; Rock2; Wnt11; clinicopathologic factors; immunohistochemistry