Characterization of one newly established esophageal cancer cell line CSEC from a high-incidence area in China.

The Chaoshan littoral is located in a high-incidence area of esophageal cancer in the south of China. In this study, a new esophageal cancer cell line CSEC was established from a 47-year-old female Chinese patient in this district. The biological characters of the cultured cells were investigated, including morphology, ultrastructure, growth kinetic features, tumorigenicity, expression of tumor-associated antigen and cytogenetic features. CSEC cell line grew continuously with a doubling time of 39.5 h and had been passaged over 80 times. The CSEC cells possessed features of squamous epithelial cells with cytokeratin indicated by immunohistochemical staining and tonofilaments and desmosomes revealed by electron microscopy. Tumorigenicity to severe combined immunodeficient mice was confirmed and the tumors developed revealed well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma, similar to the origin tumor from which the cell line derived. The cytogenetic analysis demonstrated hypertetraploid karyotypes. Chromosome structure aberrations were common and complicated. Immunohistochemical staining showed that CSEC cells were infected with HPV and over-expressed p53. In summary, the CSEC cell line is a well-differentiated esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell line from a high-incidence area in southern China. It may provide a useful model for the pathogenesis and therapeutic research of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Relationship between ABO blood groups and carcinoma of esophagus and cardia in Chaoshan inhabitants of China.

AIM: To study the relationship between ABO blood groups and carcinoma of esophagus and cardia in Chaoshan inhabitants of China, which is a unique Littoral high-risk area of esophageal carcinoma in China. The poor communication and transportation in the past has made Chaoshan a relatively closed area and kept its culture and custure of old China thousand years ago. METHODS: Data on age, sex, ABO blood type and X-ray or pathological diagnose of the patients with carcinoma of esophagus or cardia were collected from the Tumor Hospital. First Affiliated Hospital, Second Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College; and the Central Hospital of Shantou and the Central Hospital of Jieyang. A total of 6685 patients with esophageal carcinoma (EC) and 2955 patients with cardiac cancer (CC) in Chaoshan district were retrospectively assessed for their association with ABO blood groups. RESULTS: The distribution of ABO blood groups in patients with EC or CC was similar to the normal local population in Chaoshan. However, blood group B in male patients with CC and in the patients with carcinoma in the upper third esophagus was 2.3% and 4.7% higher than the corresponding controls. The relative risk B O was 1.1415 (P<0.05) and 1.2696 (P<0.05), respectively. No relationship was found between ABO blood groups and tumor differentiation. CONCLUSION: ABO blood group B is associated with the incidence of CC in male individuals and carcinoma in the upper third esophagus. The distribution of ABO blood groups varies in the different geographical and ethnic groups. As a result, proper controls are very important for such studies.

[The clinical significance of aberrant HLA-DR antigen expression on thyrocytes].

500 Tru-cut thyroid tissue specimens were analyzed by ABC immunohistochemistry technique by using monoclonal antibodies specific for activated lymphocytes, cytokines and HLA-DR antigen. The study revealed that DR antigen expression on thyrocytes was positively correlated with the total number of thyroid infiltrating cells, the percentage of Tac + cells, TLiSA1 + cells, T9+ cells, interferon-r+ cells, interleukin-2+ cells, especially I2+ cells, tumor necrosis factor+ cells and also positively correlated with serum TSH, thyroid microsomal antibody, thyroid globulin antibody levels. The DR expression on thyrocytes was most intense in autoimmune thyroiditis, with subacute thyroiditis, thyrotoxicosis with thyroiditis, Graves disease, goiter following in sequence and thyroid tumor being the weakest. Thyroxine treatment can suppress DR expression on thyrocytes. Our data suggest that the extent of DR expression on thyrocytes may be regarded as a new important index for clinical diagnosis, prognosis and evaluation of the therapeutic results.