EXPRESSIONS OF ENDOTHELIN-1 AND E-CADHERIN IN ESOPHAGEAL SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA
Objective To investigate the expressions of Endothelin-1 (ET-1) and E-cadherin,and their correlation,in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).Methods Employing immuno-histochemical technique,expressions of Endothelin-1 and E-cadherin in 58 cases of ESCC tissue and corresponding adjacent normal mucosa were detected.Results In the cancer tissue,expressions of ET-1 and E-cadherin were correlated with invasion depth,peripheral lymph node metastasis,and differentiation degree (Z=6.908-14.973,P<0.05).The positive expression of ET1 in tissue of ESCC and adjacent normal tissue was 12.07% (7/58) and 77.59% (45/58),respectively,and that of E-cadherin was 82.76% (48/58) and 41.37% (24/58),respectively,a comparison between the two indicators of the two groups being significant (Z=-7.161,-5.593;P < 0.01).In tissue of ESCC,ET-1 expression was negatively correlated with E-cadherin (r=-0.525,P<0.01).Conclusion In tissue of esophageal squamous cell cacinoma,the high expression of ET-1 and low expression of E-cadherin are likely to play an opposite regulation on the occurrence and development of ESCC.