Esophageal Cancer
Copyright ©2006 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Apr 7, 2006; 12(13): 2006-2010
Published online Apr 7, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i13.2006
Expression of midkine and its clinical significance in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Ying-Jia Ren, Qing-Yun Zhang
Ying-Jia Ren, Qing-Yun Zhang, Department of Immunology, The School of Oncology, Peking University; Beijing Institute for Cancer Research, Beijing 100036, China
Qing-Yun Zhang, Department of Medical Laboratory, Beijing Cancer Hospital, Beijing, 100036, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by Beijing Science and Technology Committee Molecular Oncology Laboratory Fund (No. 953850500); National Key Basic Research and Development Project 973 Fund, No. 2004CB518708
Correspondence to: Qing-Yun Zhang, Department of Medical Laboratory, Beijing Cancer Hospital, 52 Fucheng Road, Beijing 100036, China. qingyzhang@btamail.net.cn
Telephone: +86-10-88115736 Fax: +86-10-88122437
Received: August 2, 2005
Revised: December 5, 2005
Accepted: December 15, 2005
Published online: April 7, 2006
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the expression of midkine in eso-phageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and analyze its relationship with clinicopathological features.

METHODS: RT-PCR and immunocytochemical staining were used to detect the expression of midkine mRNA and protein in EC109 cells, respectively. Then the expression of midkine in 66 cases of ESCC samples were detected by immunohistochemistry using monoclonal antibodies against human midkine.

RESULTS: Midkine was expressed in EC109 cell by RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry. The immunoreactivity was detected in 56.1 % (37/66) of the ESCC samples. The expression of midkine was found in cytoplasm of tumor cells. Notably, the intensity of midkine was stronger at the area abundant in vessels and the in-vading border of the tumors. Midkine was more in-tensely expressed in well differentiated tumors (76.9 %) than in moderately and poorly differentiated tumors (43.1 % and 41.2 %, respectively) (P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant correlation between midkine expression and gender, age, clinical stage, lymph node metastasis or survival in ESCC.

CONCLUSION: Midkine is overexpressed in ESCC. It may play a role in tumor angiogenesis and invasion. The expression of midkine is correlated with tumor cell differentiation in ESCC. The more poorly tumor cells differentiate, the weaker midkine expresses.

Keywords: Midkine, Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, Expression