The Expression And Relationship Of ZEB1,E-cadherin And Vimentin In Human Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Objective: To observe the expression of ZEB1 in normal ovarian tissues and tissues of epithelial ovarian cancer(EOC), and to investigate the correlation of ZEB1 protein expression with EOC’s clinicopathological features. To investigate the relationship between the expression of ZEB1,E-cadherin and Vimentin in EOC. To provide ZEB1’s possible molecular mechanism in EOC.Methods: The expressions of ZEB1, E-cadherin, and vimentin, in 50 cases of EOC and 12 normal ovarian tissue from clinical patients, were detected by immunohistochemistry method.Judge whether there are statistically significant between ZEB1, E-cadherin and Vimentin.Results:(1)The positive rate 72.0% of ZEB1 expression in EOC was significantly higher than 0% in normal ovarian tissues, and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.01). The difference of ZEB1 expression in EOC with age and pathological type was not statistically significant(P>0.05), but the difference with FIGO stage,pathological grade and lymph node metastasis was statistically significant.The expression of ZEB1 in Stage III-IV was higher than that in Stage I- II, which was significantly different(P<0.01). The expression of ZEB1 in poorly differentiation was higher than that in well- differentiation, which was significantly different(P<0.01). And the expression of ZEB1 in lymph node metastasis was higher than that in no lymph node metastasis, which was also significantly different(P<0.01).(2)The positive rate 46.0% of E-cadherin expression in EOC was significantly higher than 0% in normal ovarian tissues, and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.01). The difference of E-cadherin expression in EOC with age and pathological type was not statistically significant(P>0.05), but the difference with FIGO stage,pathological grade and lymph node metastasis was statistically significant.The expression of E-cadherin in Stage III-IV was higher than that in Stage I- II, which was significantly different(P<0.01). The expression of E-cadherin in poorly differentiation was higher than that in well- differentiation, which was significantly different(P<0.01). And the expression of E-cadherin in lymph node metastasis was higher than that in no lymph node metastasis, which was also significantly different(P<0.01).(3)The positive rate 34.0% of Vimentin expression in EOC was significantly higher than 0% in normal ovarian tissues, and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05). The difference of Vimentin expression in EOC with age and pathological type was not statistically significant(P>0.05), but the difference with FIGO stage,pathological grade and lymph node metastasis was statistically significant.The expression of Vimentin in Stage III-IV was higher than that in Stage I- II, which was significantly different(P<0.01). The expression of Vimentin in poorly differentiation was higher than that in welldifferentiation,which was significantly different(P<0.01).And the expression of Vimentin in lymph node metastasis was higher than that in no lymph node metastasis, which was also significantly different(P<0.01).(4) In epithelial ovarian cancer, positive expression of ZEB1 with E-cadherin positive expression was negatively correlated(P<0.05,r=-0.318),positive expression of ZEB1 with Vimentin positive expression was positively correlated(P<0.05,r=0.354), and positive expression of E-cadherin with Vimentin positive expression was negatively correlated(P<0.05,r=-0.578).Conclusions:The expression of ZEB1 protein was related to the FIGO stage,pathological grade and lymph node metastasisof EOC, but the level of its expression was not associated with age and pathological type.When the expression of ZEB1 was increased,E-cadherin was decresed and Vimentin was increased. It suggested that ZEB1 may be a role in part of process of EMT, and ZEB1 may beregulate the expression of E-cadherin and Vimentin.