Expression of Smad4, TGF-beta RII, and p21(waf1) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissue

摘要

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) possesses one of the worst prognoses out of the digestive carcinomas. Several studies have suggested that transforming growth factor beta receptor type II (TGF-beta RII), Smad family member 4 (Smad4) and p21 wild-type p53-activated factor 1 (p21(waf1)) are associated with esophageal SCC. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of Smad4, TGF-beta RII and p21(waf1) in esophageal squamous cancer tissue and the pathological significance of the effect. An immunohistochemical method was used to evaluate the expression levels of Smad4, TGF-beta RII and p21(waf1) in specimens of esophageal SCC lesions obtained from 80 patients. It was found that the expression of Smad4,TGF-beta RII and p21(waf1) in histologically-classified grade I esophageal SCC, without invasion or lymph node metastasis, was markedly higher compared with grade III esophageal SCC that had invaded into the deep muscular or serous layer and metastasized to the lymph nodes (P<0.05). Analysis of the expression level of Smad4, TGF-beta RII and p21(waf1), as well as the clinical and pathological characteristics of esophageal SCC, revealed that the three proteins may be associated with the carcinogenesis, biological behavior and prognosis of esophageal SCC, parallel to the pathological stage and cell grade.