Gastric Cancer
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2003. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Oct 15, 2003; 9(10): 2154-2159
Published online Oct 15, 2003. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v9.i10.2154
Ets1 as a marker of malignant potential in gastric carcinoma
Yong Yu, Yi-Chu Zhang, Wen-Zhu Zhang, Li-Song Shen, Paul Hertzog, Trevor J Wilson, Da-Kang Xu
Yong Yu, Yi-Chu Zhang, Department of General Surgery, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200092, China
Wen-Zhu Zhang, Department of Pathology, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200092, China
Li-Song Shen, Laboratory Diagnostic Center, Shanghai Children’s Medical Centre, Shanghai Second Medical University, Shanghai 200127, China
Paul Hertzog, Trevor J Wilson, Da-Kang Xu, Centre for Functional Genomics and Human Disease, Monash Institute of Reproduction and Development, Monash University, Vic 3168, Australia
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Da-Kang Xu, MD.PhD, Centre for Functional Genomics and Human Disease, Monash Institute of Reproduction and Development, Monash University, 27-31 Wright Street, Clayton, Vic 3168, Australia. dakangxu@med.monash.edu.au
Telephone: +61-3-9594-7229 Fax: +61-3-9594-7211
Received: June 30, 2003
Revised: August 11, 2003
Accepted: August 18, 2003
Published online: October 15, 2003
Abstract

AIM: Ets1 proto-oncogene is a transcription factor involved in the activation of several genes of tumor invasion and metastasis. We aimed to determine the relationship between the extent and intensity of Ets1 expression and patients’ clinicopathological factors in gastric carcinoma.

METHODS: Immunohistochemical analysis was performed for gastric tumor paraffin-embedded sections, followed by image analysis.

RESULTS: Ets1 was not expressed in the normal gastric epithelium and its surrounding cells. The percentage of Ets1 expressing cells detected increased significantly in both epithelial tumor and stromal cells from high T classification, lymph node metastasis positive, clinical advanced-stage groups (P < 0.001). The level of Ets1 staining in epithelial tumor cells also reflected the degree of cell differentiation. The percentage of epithelial and stromal cells expressing Ets1 was significantly correlated with the presence of lymph node metastasis (P = 0.014 and P < 0.001 respectively). Ets1 expression was not observed in tissue samples from patients with benign gastric ulcers.

CONCLUSION: Ets1 protein expression in epithelial tumor cells reflects the degree of differentiation, and the percentage of Ets1 positive tumor and stromal cells correlates with lymph node metastasis. Thus Ets1 is a valuable marker of malignant potential in terms of invasiveness and metastasis of gastric carcinoma. It is also possible that inhibition of Ets1 is a potential avenue for therapy in gastric cancer.

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