The Role Of MUC1, MUC3 And MUC6 In Barrett's Esophagus, Esophageal Adenocarcinoma, Cardia Intestinal Metaplasia And Cardia Adenocarcinoma

Background and Objective: The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma(EA) and cardia adenocarcinoma(CA) arises greatly over the last 3 decades. Barrett's esophagus(BE) and cardia intestinal metaplasia(CIM) are respectively the pathological changes before the cancer of EA and CA. MUC1,MUC3 and MUC6 are some of the important tumor marks.The aim of this study is to discover the role of MUC1, MUC3 and MUC6 in the pathogenesis of BE, EA, CIM and CA.Methods: The expressions of protein of MUC1, MUC3 and MUC6 were investigated in normal esophageal squamous epithelium(n=20),normal cardia epithelium(n=20), BE(n=50), CIM(n=50), EA(n=25) and CA(n=50) using immunohistochemical staining respectively. The differences among the groups were compared.Results:â‘ The protein expression of MUC1 was little in normal esophageal squamous epithelium, it was more in BE and the most in EA.There was a statistically difference in MUC1 expression(P<0.01) among these three groups. The protein expression level of MUC3 and MUC6 was lower in normal esophageal squamous epithelium than that in BE(P<0.01), but higher in EA(P<0.01).â‘¡An increasing intendency of the level of MUC1 expression was observed from normal cardia epithelium to CIM and CA. There was a statistically difference in MUC1 expression(P<0.01) between CIM and CA. The expression of MUC3 was more in CIM than that in normal cardia epithelium(P<0.01),but the expression of MUC6 was less(P<0.01).â‘¢There was a statistically difference in MUC1 and MUC6 expressions(P<0.05) between BE and CIM, and between EA and CA. But no difference in MUC3 expression(P>0.05).â‘£There was significant correlation between the expression of MUC1 and cell difference of CA or lymphatic spread or pathologic stage in CA or in EA(P<0.05). There was also correlation between the expression of MUC3 and cell difference of EA or CA (P<0.05), but no correlation between the expression of MUC6 and all the factors of clinic or pathology(P>0.05).Conclusions: There may be close relation between the expressions of MUC1, MUC3 or MUC6 and the development from BE to EA or from CIM to CA. There is correlation between the expression of MUC1 and MUC6 and some factors of clinic or pathology of EA and CA.Monitoring these targets may provide valuable information to the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of EA or CA. It may be a new way to distinguish BE from CIM or EA from CA by detecting the expressions of MUC1 and MUC6.