The Study Of Extracellular Signal Regulated Kinases Activation And Its Significance With The Initiation And Progression Of Esophageal Squamous Carcinoma

Objective: To study the ERK1/2, p-ERK1/2 expression and their relationship with esophageal squamous carcinoma.Methods: Samples were obtained from 60 patients with esophageal squamous carcinoma. ERK1/2 and p-ERK1/2 were examined by Western blot and immunohisto-chemical methods in the esophageal squamous carcinoma and normal adjacent esophageal tissue (control).Results: There was no remarkable difference between esophageal carcinoma and control group at ERK1/2 protein levels, but the p-ERKl/2 protein levels were significantly increased (t=17.23, t =18.18, p<0.01),with no relation to cancer location, length, type and clinicopathological stages(p>0.05), but there was significant difference among different histo-differentiation grades esophageal carcinoma for increasing p-ERKl/2 protein levels .Conclusion: The activation of ERK had strongly relevant to esophageal carcinoma histo-differentiation grades, but not relevant to clinicopathological stage .Over-activation of ERK may play an important role in the initiation and progression of human esophageal squamous carcinoma.