Brief Articles
Copyright ©2009 The WJG Press and Baishideng. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Sep 14, 2009; 15(34): 4316-4321
Published online Sep 14, 2009. doi: 10.3748/wjg.15.4316
Expression of thymidylate synthase and glutathione-s-transferase π in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Jun-Xing Huang, Feng-Yue Li, Wei Xiao, Zheng-Xiang Song, Rong-Yu Qian, Ping Chen, Eeva Salminen
Jun-Xing Huang, Feng-Yue Li, Rong-Yu Qian, Department of Oncology, The People’s Hospital of Taizhou, Taizhou Medical School, Yangzhou & Nantong University, Taizhou 225300 Jiangsu Province, China
Wei Xiao, Zheng-Xiang Song, Ping Chen, Department of Pathology, The People’s Hospital of Taizhou, Taizhou Medical School, Yangzhou & Nantong University, Taizhou 225300 Jiangsu Province, China
Eeva Salminen, Department of Oncology, University of Turku & Turku University Hospital, PO Box 52, 20521 Turku, Finland
Author contributions: Huang JX and Li FY performed the majority of experiments; Xiao W, Song ZX, Qian RY and Chen P provided vital reagents and analytical tools and were also involved in editing the manuscript; Salminen E provided ideas and modified the article.
Supported by The Key Medical Talent Foundation of Jiangsu Province, China, No. RC2007036
Correspondence to: Dr. Jun-Xing Huang, Department of Oncology and Pathology, 210 Yingchun Road, The People’s Hospital of Taizhou, Taizhou 225300, Jiangsu Province, China. huangjunxing@yahoo.com.cn
Telephone: +86-523-86361458 Fax: +86-523-86225199
Received: May 27, 2009
Revised: August 1, 2009
Accepted: August 8, 2009
Published online: September 14, 2009
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the expression of thymidylate synthase (TS) and glutathione-s-transferase π (GST-π) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and their association with the clinicopathologic characteristics.

METHODS: Immunohistochemical methods were used to detect the expression of TS and GST-π in surgically resected formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) tissue sections from 102 patients (median age, 58 years) and in 28 normal esophageal mucosa (NEM) samples. The relationship between TS and GST-π expression and clinicopathologic factors was examined.

RESULTS: The expression of TS and GST-π was not statistically significantly associated with age of the patients, tumor size, lymph node metastasis, depth of invasion or tumor stage. TS staining was positive in 17.86% of normal esophageal mucosa and in 42.16% of ESCC samples (P < 0.05). The expression level of TS was not only significantly lower in well-differentiated (21.88%) than in poorly-differentiated carcinomas (51.43%, P < 0.05), but was also significantly higher in samples from male patients (46.51%) than from female patients (18.75%, P < 0.05). GST-π was positively stained in 78.57% of normal esophageal mucosa and in 53.92% of ESCC samples (P < 0.05). The expression level of GST-π was also significantly higher in well-differentiated carcinomas (65.63%) than in poorly-differentiated carcinomas (35.00%, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: The expression of TS and of GST-π may be used as molecular markers for the characterization of ESCC. Poorly-differentiated cells showed increased expression of TS and reduced expression of GST-π.

Keywords: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma; Glutathione-s-transferase π; Immunohistochemistry; Thymidylate synthase; Tumor markers