Fan Tianli, Tian Fang, Yi Shanyong, Ke Yang, Han Shengna, Zhang Lirong, Liu Hongtao
Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Zhengzhou University, 100 KeXue Avenue, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, People's Republic of China,
Tumour Biol. 2014 Jan;35(1):519-27. doi: 10.1007/s13277-013-1073-8. Epub 2013 Aug 17.
Overwhelming evidence has demonstrated that Bit1 and AIF as mitochondrial proteins are implicated in the development and progression of a variety of tumors. However, their expressions and biological functions in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remain to be delineated. In the present study, we found that Bit1, AIF, and Bcl-2 levels in ESCC tissues were significantly higher than those in normal esophageal epithelial tissues and dysplasia tissues (P < 0.05). Stepwise investigation demonstrated that Bit1 and Bcl-2 levels were both tightly associated with lymphatic metastasis and TNM staging (P < 0.05), and the levels of Bit1 mRNA as well as AIF and Bcl-2 proteins were both closely related to tumor differentiation (P < 0.05), but not related to the patients' age and gender (P > 0.05). Importantly, Bit1 mRNA and protein levels in ESCC with lymphatic metastasis and TNM staging in III and IV were markedly higher than that without lymphatic metastasis and TMN staging in I and II. Further analysis showed that expression of Bit1 protein was both positively correlated with expressions of AIF and Bcl-2 proteins (r = 0.408 and 0.405, respectively; P < 0.05). Correctively, our data cited earlier suggest that Bit1 plays pivotal roles in the development and progression of ESCC, and its biological functions in ESCC may be closely associated with AIF and Bcl-2 levels.
大量证据表明，作为线粒体蛋白的Bit1和AIF与多种肿瘤的发生和发展有关。然而，它们在食管鳞状细胞癌（ESCC）中的表达及生物学功能仍有待阐明。在本研究中，我们发现ESCC组织中Bit1、AIF和Bcl-2水平显著高于正常食管上皮组织和发育异常组织（P < 0.05）。逐步研究表明，Bit1和Bcl-2水平均与淋巴转移和TNM分期密切相关（P < 0.05），Bit1 mRNA水平以及AIF和Bcl-2蛋白水平均与肿瘤分化密切相关（P < 0.05），但与患者年龄和性别无关（P > 0.05）。重要的是，伴有淋巴转移及TNM分期为III和IV期的ESCC中Bit1 mRNA和蛋白水平显著高于无淋巴转移及TNM分期为I和II期的ESCC。进一步分析表明，Bit1蛋白表达与AIF和Bcl-2蛋白表达均呈正相关（r分别为0.408和0.405；P < 0.05）。确切地说，我们之前引用的数据表明，Bit1在ESCC的发生和发展中起关键作用，其在ESCC中的生物学功能可能与AIF和Bcl-2水平密切相关。
