Expression of TGF-β1, Snail, E-cadherin and N-cadherin in Gastric Cancer and Its Significance

OBJECTIVE To investigate the expression of TGF-β1,Snail,E-cad-herin and N-cadherin in gastric cancer(GC),and to examine its relationship to malignant features of the tumors. METHODS The expression of TGF-β1,Snail,E-cadherin and N-cadherin proteins was detected in GC and adjacent tissues by immunohistochemical staining,and compared with the clinico-pathological data. RESULTS Positive rates of expression for TGF-β1,Snail,E-cadherin and N-cadherin were 63.5%,83.3%,37.5%and 44.8%in GC,and 28.8%, 41.3%,100%,11.3%in adjacent tissues,respectively.The expression of all four proteins showed a significant difference between the GCs and adjacent tissues(P<0.05).The positive rate of TGF-β1,Snail and N-cadherin,or the negative rate of E-cadherin expression was significantly related to the differentiated degree,histological type,invasion and metastasis of GC.In addition,the expression of N-cadherin was positively related to that of TGF-β1, but negatively related to that of E-cadherin.There was negative correlation between expression of E-cadherin and TGF-β1 and Snail in GC(P<0.05). CONCLUSION The over-expression of TGF-β1 and Snail and decreased expression of E-cadherin and the abnormal expression of N-cad-herin were involved in the process of invasion and metastasis of GC.The data showed that E-cadherin might switch to N-cadherin.TGF-β1 and Snail might play a fundamental role in the process.

Expression of TGF-β1, Snail, E-cadherin and N-cadherin in gastric cancer and its significance

Objective To investigate the expression of TGF-β1, Snail, E-cadherin and N-cadherin in gastric cancer (GC), and to examine its relationship to malignant features of the tumors. Methods The expression of TGF-β1, Snail, E-cadherin and N-cadherin proteins was detected in GC and adjacent tissues by immunohistochemical staining, and compared with the clinico-pathological data. Results Positive rates of expression for TGF-β1, Snail, E-cadherin and N-cadherin were 63.5%, 83.3%, 37.5% and 44.8% in GC, and 28.8%, 41.3%, 100%, 11.3% in adjacent tissues, respectively. The expression of all four proteins showed a significant difference between the GCs and adjacent tissues (P<0.05). The positive rate of TGF-β1, Snail and N-cadherin, or the negative rate of E-cadherin expression was significantly related to the differentiated degree, histological type, invasion and metastasis of GC. In addition, the expression of N-cadherin was positively related to that of TGF-β1, but negatively related to that of E-cadherin. There was negative correlation between expression of E-cadherin and TGF-β1 and Snail in GC (P<0.05). Conclusion The over-expression of TGF-β1 and Snail and decreased expression of E-cadherin and the abnormal expression of N-cadherin were involved in the process of invasion and metastasis of GC. The data showed that E-cadherin might switch to N-cadherin. TGF-β1 and Snail might play a fundamental role in the process. This work was supported by a grant from the Key Science and Technology Fund, Governmental Department of Education, Anhui Province (No.kj2007A029)