[Expression and Significance of Stem Cell Markers CK19, Notch3, CD133, P75NTR, STRO-1 and ABCG2 in Pulmonary Squamous Carcinomas.].

BACKGROUND

Increasing reports showed that some tumor stem cells were selfrenewal and multi-lineage differentiated in tumors, similar to the normal stem cells in human body. The aim of this study is to observe the expression of stem cell markers in lung squamous carcinoma tissues.

METHODS

Fifty-four lung cancer specimens from surgery were analyzed for CK19, Notch3, CD133, P75NTR, STRO-1 and ABCG2 expression by using S-P immunohistochemistry. In addition, ten normal lung tissue samples were included as control.

RESULTS

CK19, Notch3, CD133 and ABCG2 were expressed in 54 Lung cancer tissues, without expression of P75NTR and STRO-1. The expression rate of CK19, Notch3, CD133 and ABCG2 was 66.67% (36/54), 87.04% (47/54), 50% (27/54), and 61.11% (33/54) respectively. The levels of expression of Notch3, CD133 and ABCG2 were significantly lower in high differentiation group than those in moderate and low differentiation group (P <0.05). The levels of expression of CK19, CD133 and ABCG2 were significantly higher in lymph node metastasis group than those in non-metastasis group (P <0.05). The percentage of total positive cells of four stem cell markers in serial tissue sections was lower than 2%.

CONCLUSIONS

There was expression of some stem cell markers in pulmonary squamous carcinomas, and there was relationship between expression degree with differentiation degree and lymph node metastasis.