Expression Of CD133 And KAI1/CD82 In Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma And Their Relationship With Vasculogenic Mimicry

Objective To research the expressions of CD133 and KAI1/CD82 and the presence of vasculogenic mimicry (VM) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), and to explore the relationship of CD133, KAI1/CD82 and VM in the tumor.Methods 1. One hundred and twenty cases of ESCC,30 cases of pericancerous normal esophageal tissues serving as "normal control" were detected for the expressions of CD133 and KAI1/CD82 proteins by immunohistochemistry.2. Twenty cases of ESCC and corresponding normal esophageal mucosa tissues were detected for the expression of CD 133 and KAI1/CD82 mRNA by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR).3. Using histochemical staining (periodic acid schiff, PAS) combined with immunohistochemistry (marked by anti-CD34 antiboby) methods to detect VM in 120 cases of ESCC and 30 cases of pericancerous normal esophageal tissues.Results 1. VM was found in ESCC tissues, and its positive rate was 49.2%(59/120). No VM was evident in pericancerous normal esophageal tissues, and the difference was significant (P<0.05). The positive rate of the VM is proportional to the tumor size, infiltration depth, histological classification, pTNM staging and lymph node metastasis. The differences were all significantly (P<0.05). there was no relationship between VM and the sex of patients (P>0.05).2.The expression of CD133 had a coincidence between level of mRNA and its protein, which was higher than that in normal esophageal mucosa tissues adjacent to carcinoma, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The expression of CD 133 is proportional to tumor size, infiltration depth and histological grade, pTNM stage and lymph node metastasis, there were statistically significant differences (P<0.05), but there was no relationship with the sex of patients (P>0.05).3. In ESCC, both the expression levels of KAI1/CD82 mRNA and its protein were significantly lower than those in normal esophageal mucosa tissue adjacent to carcinoma (P<0.05). The expression of KAI1/CD82 was inversely proportional to tumor infiltration depth, histological grading, pTNM stage and lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). No relationship was found between expression of KAI1/CD82 and sex of patients (P>0.05).4. The expression of CD 133 protein in ESCC was negatively correlated with expression of KAI1/CD82 protein (r=0.694, P< 0.01).5. The expression of CD133 protein was positively corelated to VM (r= 0.701,P<0.01), while the expression of KAI1/CD82 protein was negatively correlated to VM (r=-0.834, P<0.01).Conclusion 1. ESCC exit in the VM.2. CD133+CSCs to participate in the formation of VM.3. The expression of KAI1/CD82 promote the formation of VM.4. The expression of CD133 and KAI1/CD82 and the formation of VM may be used as evaluation index of differentiation and evolution in ESCC.