Liu Pei-Feng, Kang Bor-Hwang, Wu Yi-Min, Sun Ju-Hsin, Yen Liang-Ming, Fu Ting-Ying, Lin Yun-Chung, Liou Huei-Han, Lin Yaoh-Shiang, Sie Huei-Cin, Hsieh I-Chien, Tseng Yu-Kai, Shu Chih-Wen, Hsieh Yao-Dung, Ger Luo-Ping
Department of Medical Education and Research, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
Department of Biotechnology, Fooyin University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
PLoS One. 2017 Jun 1;12(6):e0178581. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0178581. eCollection 2017.
We aimed to investigate the association of the expression levels of five epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related proteins (Snail, Twist, E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and Vimentin) with tumorigenesis, pathologic parameters and prognosis in tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) patients by immunohistochemistry of tissue microarray. The expression levels of Snail, E-cadherin, N-cadherin and Vimentin were significantly different between the tumor adjacent normal and tumor tissues. In tumor tissues, lower E-cadherin and higher N-cadherin levels were associated with a higher grade of cell differentiation, advanced stage of disease, and lymph node metastasis. However, higher Vimentin expression was associated with poor cell differentiation and lymph node metastasis. Patients with low E-cadherin expression had poor disease-specific survival (DSS). Conversely, positive N-cadherin and higher Vimentin expression levels were associated with poor DSS and disease-free survival. Notably, our multivariate Cox regression model indicated that high Vimentin expression was an adverse prognostic factor for DSS in TSCC patients, even after the adjustment for cell differentiation, pathological stage, and expression levels of Snail, Twist, E-cadherin, and N-cadherin. Snail, E-cadherin, N-cadherin, and Vimentin were associated with tumorigenesis and pathological outcomes. Among the five EMT-related proteins, Vimentin was a potential prognostic factor for TSCC patients.
我们旨在通过组织芯片免疫组化研究5种上皮-间质转化（EMT）相关蛋白（Snail、Twist、E-钙黏蛋白、N-钙黏蛋白和波形蛋白）的表达水平与舌鳞状细胞癌（TSCC）患者肿瘤发生、病理参数及预后的相关性。Snail、E-钙黏蛋白、N-钙黏蛋白和波形蛋白在肿瘤旁正常组织和肿瘤组织中的表达水平存在显著差异。在肿瘤组织中，E-钙黏蛋白水平较低和N-钙黏蛋白水平较高与细胞分化程度较高、疾病晚期及淋巴结转移相关。然而，波形蛋白表达较高与细胞分化差和淋巴结转移相关。E-钙黏蛋白表达低的患者疾病特异性生存（DSS）较差。相反，N-钙黏蛋白阳性和波形蛋白表达较高与较差的DSS和无病生存相关。值得注意的是，我们的多变量Cox回归模型表明，即使在对细胞分化、病理分期以及Snail、Twist、E-钙黏蛋白和N-钙黏蛋白的表达水平进行调整后，波形蛋白高表达仍是TSCC患者DSS的不良预后因素。Snail、E-钙黏蛋白、N-钙黏蛋白和波形蛋白与肿瘤发生及病理结果相关。在这5种EMT相关蛋白中，波形蛋白是TSCC患者的一个潜在预后因素。
