Zhang Haihua, Xu Liyan, Xiao Dawei, Xie Jianjun, Zeng Hongmei, Wang Zhaoyang, Zhang Xiaoling, Niu Yongdong, Shen Zhongying, Shen Jinghui, Wu Xuan, Li Enmin
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical College of Shantou University, Shantou,Guangdong Province, People's Republic of China.
J Clin Pathol. 2007 May;60(5):555-61. doi: 10.1136/jcp.2006.039297. Epub 2007 Apr 5.
Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is a member of the lipocalin family. Recently, an elevated NGAL expression was reported in several types of cancers. However, the characteristics of NGAL expression in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) are still unknown.
To demonstrate the role of NGAL in ESCC.
NGAL expression in 81 paraffin sections, including ESCC, normal mucosa, simple hyperplasia and dysplasia, and in 73 fresh specimens of ESCC was analysed by immunohistochemistry, western blot and gelatin zymography.
On immunohistochemical study, ESCC showed a diverse staining pattern for NGAL. However, only a weak positive signal was present within a restricted cytoplasmic area in the normal oesophageal epithelium. In dysplasia, altered NGAL expression could also be observed. On western blot study, NGAL expression level was found to be significantly higher in ESCC than in normal mucosa (p=0.030), and to be positively correlated with cell differentiation. However, no significant association was observed between NGAL expression and cell proliferation. In addition, the enzymic activity of the NGAL/matrix metalloproteinase 9 complex was much higher in ESCC than in normal mucosa, and was significantly correlated with the depth of tumour invasion in zymography analysis (p=0.006).
The findings suggest that NGAL is involved in the differentiation pathway and invasive progression of ESCC.
中性粒细胞明胶酶相关脂质运载蛋白（NGAL）是脂质运载蛋白家族的一员。最近，有报道称在几种癌症类型中NGAL表达升高。然而，食管鳞状细胞癌（ESCC）中NGAL表达的特征仍不清楚。
证明NGAL在ESCC中的作用。
通过免疫组织化学、蛋白质印迹法和明胶酶谱法分析了81例石蜡切片（包括ESCC、正常黏膜、单纯增生和发育异常）以及73例ESCC新鲜标本中的NGAL表达。
免疫组织化学研究显示，ESCC中NGAL呈现多种染色模式。然而，正常食管上皮细胞仅在有限的细胞质区域内有微弱的阳性信号。在发育异常中，也可观察到NGAL表达改变。蛋白质印迹法研究发现，ESCC中NGAL表达水平显著高于正常黏膜（p = 0.030），且与细胞分化呈正相关。然而，未观察到NGAL表达与细胞增殖之间存在显著关联。此外，ESCC中NGAL/基质金属蛋白酶9复合物的酶活性远高于正常黏膜，并且在酶谱分析中与肿瘤浸润深度显著相关（p = 0.006）。
这些发现表明NGAL参与了ESCC的分化途径和侵袭进展。
