Expression of ECRG4 is an independent prognostic factor for poor survival in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

In this study, we examined the expression of esophageal cancer-related gene 4 (ECRG4) mRNA and evaluated its clinical significance in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). ECRG4 mRNA expression was quantified by real-time RT-PCR in 63 ESCC and corresponding normal esophageal mucosal samples. ECRG4 mRNA expression levels were significantly lower in ESCC tissues compared with corresponding normal esophageal mucosa (P<0.0001), in patients with locally invasive T2-4 tumors compared with less invasive T1 tumors (P=0.0229) and in stage 4 tumors compared with stage 0-3 tumors (P=0.0120). Furthermore, low ECRG4 mRNA expression levels were associated with significantly shorter survival after surgery compared with high ECRG4 mRNA expression levels (P=0.0150) in ESCC patients. On the basis of multivariate analysis, we conclude that ECRG4 mRNA expression level could be a candidate for an independent prognostic factor for ESCC patients.     

食管鳞癌中DACT2基因表达及甲基化状态研究

[目的]检测食管鳞状细胞癌(ESCC)中DACT2基因表达及启动子区甲基化状态,探讨DACT2基因在食管鳞癌发生发展中的作用.[方法]分别应用逆转录—聚合酶链反应(RTPCR)以及甲基化特异性PCR(MSP)的方法检测DNA甲基转移酶抑制剂5-氮杂-2'-脱氧胞苷(5-aza-dC)处理前后的食管癌细胞系(TE1、TE13、T.Tn、Eca109)以及食管鳞癌组织及相应癌旁组织中DACT2 mRNA表达情况及启动子区甲基化状态.[结果]经5-aza-dC处理后4种食管癌细胞系中DACT2基因的表达均增高.4种未经5-aza-dC处理的食管癌细胞系中DACT2基因呈高甲基化状态.应用5-aza-dC处理后,DACT2基因在4种细胞系中均呈非甲基化状态.DACT2基因在食管鳞癌组织中的表达显著低于癌旁组织(0.66±0.53 vs 0.95±0.64,t=-2.43,P=0.018),并与淋巴结转移密切相关(t=-2.030,P=0.048).食管鳞癌组织中DACT2基因的启动子区甲基化率显著高于癌旁组织(50.0％ vs 21.1％,x2=9.439,P=0.002),并与TNM分期、组织学分化程度和淋巴结转移密切相关(P均＜0.05).发生DACT2基因甲基化的食管鳞癌组织中DACT2基因的表达量显著低于未发生甲基化的食管鳞癌组织(0.46±0.32 vs 0.78±0.61,t=-2.341,P=0.023).[结论]DA CT2基因在食管鳞癌中的异常低表达与食管鳞癌的发生、发展密切相关,且其启动子区甲基化可能是导致其表达沉默的机制之一.     

食管鳞癌中p16基因启动子区甲基化及其表达

 目的探讨食管鳞癌（ESCC）p16基因甲基化的状况及其表达与食管鳞癌临床病理特征之间的关系。方法采用甲基化特异性PCR方法（MSP）分别检测75例食管癌组织、癌旁组织和切缘组织p16基因启动子区域CpG岛甲基化状态。采用Envision免疫组化法检测食管癌组织及癌旁组织的p16蛋白的表达。结果75例标本中，食管癌组织、癌旁组织和切缘细织p16基因甲基化率分别为41．3％（31／75）、13．3％（10／75）和6．67％（5／75）。癌组织和癌旁组织P16蛋白的阳性表达率分别为29．3％（22／75）和56．7％0（17／30）。31例癌组织p16基因甲基化阳性标本中有2例（6．4％）检测到P16蛋白的表达，而44例癌组织p16基因甲基化阴性标本中有20例（45．5％）检测到P16蛋白的表达。食管癌组织p16基因甲基化率显著高于癌旁组织和切缘组织（P〈0.01），P16蛋白表达与p16基因甲基化呈负相关。p16基因启动子区甲基化与食管癌的组织学分级、肿瘤部位无明显相关，与临床分期、淋巴转移密切相关。结论p16基因甲基化在食管癌发生发展中起着重要作用，食管鳞癌的分期和淋巴结转移与p16基因甲基化之间有密切关系。     

食管鳞癌患者血清RUNX3基因甲基化检测及临床意义

目的检测食管鳞癌患者血清中RUNX3基因启动子区域甲基化状态,探讨用于食管鳞癌早期诊断和预后评估的临床意义。方法留取70例食管鳞癌,20例食管良性病变及10例健康志愿者血清标本,甲基化特异性聚合酶链反应（MSP）分析RUNX3基因启动子区域甲基化情况,并分析其与临床病理参数之间的相关性。结果70例食管鳞癌患者血清RUNX3基因启动子区域异常甲基化36例,检出率为51．4％,20例食管良性病变患者中有2例为不完全甲基化（10％）,而10例健康志愿者中检出率为0,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．001）;RUNX3基因启动子甲基化与患者临床分期和淋巴结转移相关。结论RUNX3基因启动子甲基化在食管鳞癌患者血清中有着较高的检出率,可望成为食管鳞癌早期诊断和预后评估的分子标志物。     

人乳腺癌细胞系RUNX3基因启动子甲基化状态研究

目的：探讨人乳腺癌细胞系中抑癌基因RUNX3启动子甲基化状态,并分析其与RUNX3基因表达的相关性。方法：运用甲基化特异性PCR（MSP）检测5种乳腺癌细胞系和一种人类正常乳腺细胞系中RUNX3启动子甲基化状态,运用RT-PCR和Western印迹检测这些细胞系中RUNX3基因mRNA和蛋白的表达。结果：在6种细胞系中,有两种（T47D、MCF7）呈高甲基化状态,并且这两种细胞系的RUNX3 mRNA和蛋白表达阴性。SKBR3中没有检测出RUNX3启动子区的甲基化,但RUNX3 mRNA和蛋白表达阴性。结论：乳腺癌细胞系中RUNX3基因由于启动子区甲基化而失活,但尚有其它失活机制存在,需进一步研究探讨。     

eIF4E在食管鳞状细胞癌中表达及其与预后关系的研究

目的：研究真核细胞翻译起始因子4E（eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E,eIF4E）在食管癌的表达及其与预后的关系。方法：采用RT-PCR及免疫组化SP法检测食管癌组织及正常食管黏膜组织中eIF4E的表达,分析其表达与食管癌临床病理特征及预后的关系。结果：eIF4E mRNA在食管癌及癌旁组织中相对表达量分别为0.561±0.079,0.442±0.061（P〈0.05）;不同分化的食管鳞癌eIF4E表达量不同（P=0.012）,多重比较显示低分化鳞癌的表达量高于高分化鳞癌的表达（P〈0.05）;不同浸润深度的eIF4E mRNA的表达量不同（P=0.003）,多重比较显示在深肌层和纤维膜的表达量高于黏膜层的表达量（P〈0.05）。eIF4E蛋白在食管癌和正常食管黏膜中的阳性表达率分别为75.00%、30.80%（P=0.001）;与病理学分级呈正相关（rs=0.228,P〈0.05）;不同浸润深度的eIF4E蛋白表达量不同（P〈0.05）。而两者均与食管癌的患者年龄、性别、淋巴结转移和临床分期等临床病理学特征无关（P〉0.05）。eIF4E蛋白高表达组及低表达组5年累积生存率分别为31.8%、53.3%（P〈0.05）。Cox模型分析得出eIF4E蛋白不能作为判断食管鳞癌预后的独立指标（P＝0.211）。结论：eIF4E表达与食管鳞状细胞癌的发生密切相关,其可能参与了肿瘤的浸润和发展,并可以和其他指标共同判断预后。     

Lysyl oxidase impacts disease outcomes and correlates with global DNA hypomethylation in esophageal cancer

Abnormal function of human body enzymes and epigenetic alterations such as DNA methylation have been shown to lead to human carcinogenesis. Lysyl oxidase (LOX) enzyme has attracted attention due to its involvement in tumor progression in various cancers. The purpose of this study was to clarify the clinical importance of LOX expression and its epigenetic regulation in the pathogenesis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Using a database of 284 ESCCs, we examined LOX expression and its prognostic characteristics. The functional role of LOX was assessed by in vitro growth, migration, and invasion assays. The relationship between LOX expression, global DNA hypomethylation (ie, LINE‐1 methylation), and LOX promoter methylation was evaluated by using mRNA expression arrays and pyrosequencing technology. High LOX expression cases had a significantly shorter overall survival and cancer‐specific survival (log‐rank, P < .001). The prognostic effect of LOX expression was not significantly modified by other clinical variables. Silencing and enzymatic inhibition of LOX suppressed growth and reduced the invasion and migration ability of ESCC cell lines along with the downregulation of AKT and MMP2. An integrated gene analysis in tissues and cell lines revealed that LOX was the most highly upregulated gene in LINE‐1 hypomethylated tumors. In vitro, LOX expression was upregulated following DNA demethylation. LOX promoter methylation was not associated with LOX expression. Conclusively LOX expression was associated with poor prognosis in ESCC and was regulated epigenetically by genome‐wide hypomethylation. It could serve as a prognostic biomarker in ESCC patients, and therapeutically targeting LOX could reverse the progression of esophageal cancer.