肺癌组织Caspase-3基因表达与细胞凋亡的关系

目的 研究caspase-3在肺癌中的表达并观察其与细胞凋亡的关系。方法 免疫组织化学法检测caspase-3在肺癌组织中的表达,原位未端标记法9terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated nick end labelling,TUNEL）检测细胞凋亡。结果 肺癌细胞caspase-3表达呈现胞质染色,62例肺癌中的32例（51.6%）不同程度的表达caspase-3,检测肺癌中的细胞凋亡发现,38例肺癌表达高TUNEL阳性率（61.2%）,24例表达低TUNEL阳性率,高TUNEL阳性率与肺癌的淋巴结转移有关（P＝0.007）,并联系着较差的预后,caspase-3的表达与肿瘤的分化（P＝0.012）和淋巴结转移（P＝0.005）有关,与患的年龄、性别、分期及组织学类型无关,肺癌组织中caspase-3的表达与肿瘤细胞的凋亡无明显关系,Kaplan-meier生存曲线显示caspase-3阳性表达联系较好的预后（P＜0.01）。结论 caspase-3表达有重要的预后意义,但与肺癌细胞凋亡的关系不很密切。

Caspase-3 expression correlates with cell apoptosis in lung carcinoma tissue

AIM To investigate the relationship between caspase-3 expres sion and apoptosis in lung carcinoma tissue. METHODS Immunohistochemistr y was employed t o determine caspase-3 expression, and in situ end-labeling was used to det ect ap optotic cells in lung carcinoma (n=62). RESULTS Tumor c ells displayed cytosolic staining for caspase-3. Half of the cases appeared to have the cytosolic staini n g for caspase-3 (51.6%). The majority of cases showed a significant num ber of ce lls with DNA fragmentation and an apoptotic count as assessed by terminal deoxyn ucleotidyl transferase mediated nick end labelling (TUNEL) staining (61.2%). Of the 62 cases, 24 appeared to have a low TUNEL positivity. High TUNEL positivity w as associated with a lymph node involvement (P=0.007), and low survival prob ability (P<0.05). In addition, the expression of caspase-3 was associated w ith lung carcinoma differentiation (P=0.012) and lymph node involvement ( P=0.005), however there was no correlation with age, sex, histology or stage. The pattern of expression of caspase-3 was not assessed with respect to TUNEL p ositivity in lung carcinoma cases. Kaplan-meier survival indicated that tumor c ells with cytosolic expr ession of caspase-3 correlated with a well prognosis (P<0.01). CONC LUSION The pat tern of expression of the enzyme has prognostic significance and the caspase-3 expression may not be related to cell apoptosis in lung carcinoma.