Expression And Clinical Significance Of S100A2 MRNA And Protein, P63 Protein In Esophageal Cancer

Objective To investigate the expression of S100A2 mRNA and protein, p63 protein in esophageal squamous cell cancer and their relationship with clinical pathological features. To explore their roles in carcinogenesis and progression of esophageal cancer and to evaluate their clinicopathologic significances. Methods Immunohistochemical staining (S-P method) for S100A2 protein and p63 protein were performed in 40 esophageal carcinoma and 40 normal esophageal mucosa. In situ hybridization (ISH) was used to detect the expression of S100A2 mRNA in 40 esophageal carcinoma and 40 normal esophageal mucosa. Results 1. The positive rate of S100A2 mRNA in esophageal carcinoma(77.5%) was lower than that in normal mucosa(100%)(P<0.01). The difference was significant among the well differentiated, the moderate differentiated and the low differentiated group(P<0.05). The expression level of S100A2 mRNA was higher significantly in well and moderate differentiated groups than that in low differentiated group(P<0.05). The difference was significant betweeen the lymph node-positive group and the lymph node-negative group(P<0.01). 2. The positive rate of S100A2 protein in esophageal carcinoma(72.5%) was lower than that in normal mucosa(100%)(P<0.001). The difference was significant among the well differentiated, the moderate differentiated and the low differentiated group(P<0.01). The expression level of S100A2 protein was higher significantly in well and moderate differentiated groups than that in low differentiated group(P <0.05). The difference was significant betweeen the lymph node-positive group and the lymph node-negative group(P<0.01). 3. The positive rate of p63 protein in esophageal carcinoma(52.5%) was higher than that in normal mucosa(25.0%)(P<0.05). The strong positive rate of p63 protein in esophageal carcinoma(37.5%) was higher than that in normal mucosa(0.0%)(P<0.001).The expression of p63 protein was not correlated with gender, age, clinical stage, tumor location, tumor size, depth of tumor invasion, degree of differentiation and lymph node metastasis(P>0.05). 4. A positive correlation was found between the expression of S100A2 mRNA and S100A2 protein(r=0.607, P<0.001). A negative correlation was found between the expression of S100A2 protein and p63 protein(r=-0.474, P<0.01). Conclusion 1. S100A2 play an important role in the carcinogenesis of esophageal carcinoma. S100A2 might be an important biomarker in the judgement of the biological behaviour of esophageal carcinoma. S100A2 protein expression is regulated mainly at the transcriptional level. The decrease of S100A2 protein expression is correspondingly the result of the decrease of transcriptional level. 2. p63 protein has high expression rate in the tissue of esophageal carcinoma, which indicates that p63 is closely related to the carcinogenesis. 3. S100A2 protein and p63 protein play important roles in the carcinogenesis of esophageal carcinoma together. Investigating the expression of S100A2 and p63 combinedly in esophageal carcinoma is not only more significant than investigating the expression of only one of them, but also provids a new theory basis for gene diagnose and gene treatment.