The Expression of RECK mRNA and Protein in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Its Clinical Significance

目的:探讨食管鳞癌组织中RECK mRNA和蛋白的表达情况及其与临床病理因素的关系。方法:应用RT-PCR和免疫组化SP法检测62例食管鳞癌组织、31例癌旁不典型增生组织及62例正常食管粘膜组织中mRNA和蛋白的表达。结果:在食管鳞癌癌变过程中RECK在癌组织、癌旁不典型增生组织及正常粘膜组织中mRNA的含量依次增高,分别为1.052±0.078、1.274±0.235、1.306±0.121,组间比较有明显差异(F=49.936,P<0.05);不同分化程度、不同浸润深度及有无淋巴结转移的食管鳞癌组织之间RECK mRNA相对含量差异均有统计学意义(F=5.081,F=26.084,U=24.011,P均<0.05)。食管鳞癌组织及癌旁不典型增生组织中RECK蛋白表达均低于正常粘膜组织,表达量分别为59.7%(37/62)、71.0%(22/31)、85.5%(53/62),组间比较有明显差异(χ2=10.331,P<0.01);食管鳞癌组织中RECK蛋白表达与癌组织的分化程度、不同浸润深度及有无淋巴结转移密切相关(P<0.05)。结论:食管鳞癌组织中RECK mRNA和蛋白表达均降低,其低表达可能与食管鳞癌发生有关。检测RECK mRNA及蛋白的表达可望成为食管鳞癌早期诊断和判断预后的分子指标之一。

The expression of RECK mRNA and protein in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and its clinical significance

Objective  To investigate the expression of RECK mRNA and protein in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and to examine its relationship with the clinicopathologic features. Methods  The expression of RECK mRNA and protein in 62 cases of ESCC, 31 of paraneoplastic atypical hyperplasia (PAH) and 62 normal esophageal mucous membrane specimens was examined, using RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. Results  During canceration of the ESCC, the mRNA of RECK increased sequentially from ESCC tissue to PAH and normal mucous membranes. Values were 1.052±0.078, 1.274±0.235 and 1.306±0.121, respectively, with a significant difference among different groups (F=49.936, P<0.05). There was a statistically significant difference in the relative amount of the RECK mRNA among the ESCC tissues at various levels of differentiation, depth of infiltration, and different types of lymph node metastasis (F=5.081, F=26.084, U=24.011, P<0.05). In the ESCC tissue and PAH, the positive rates of RECK protein expressions were lower compared to the normal mucosa tissue, i.e. 59.7% (37/62), 71.0% (22/31) and 85.5% (53/62), respectively. There was a significant difference among the inter-group comparisons (χ²=10.331, P<0.01). In ESCC, there was a close correlation between the RECK protein expression and the degree of cancer differentiation, and the depth of invasion and the types of ESCC lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). Conclusion  The decrease in expression of both RECK mRNA and protein in ESCC suggest that these low expressions may relate to ESCC development. Examination of RECK mRNA and protein expression may develop into one of the molecular indices for early ESCC diagnosis and prognosis. This work was supported by a grant from the Key-Faculty Construction Fund for Project 211 of the 10th Five-Year Plan of the Ministry of Education Jiaozhongban (2002) No.2].