Evaluation of the correlativity of gender determining region Y-box 4, N-cadherin, CD44 and E-cadherin expression in the prognosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: SOX4 is highly expressed in many different tumor types, and SOX4 has been reported in the literature to participate in tumor proliferation, damaging and movement by leading Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition. Cancer vital cells and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition have been repeatedly confirmed to participate during the proliferation, damaging and movement of cancer. This research examined the association of the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition-related molecules E-cadherin, N-cadherin, CD44, and SOX4 in the ESCC and aimed for providing inspiration for clinical treatment as well as to indicate a new direction for detecting invasion and forecasting the prospect of affected role using ESCC. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry was utilized to observe the expression of the S0X4, N-cadherin, CD44 and E-cadherin proteins. Survival analysis of the positive and negative SOX4, E-cadherin, N-cadherin and CD44 protein expression groups was performed by the Kaplan-Meier approach. OUTCOMES: A confirming relationship was observed among the expression of SOX4, N-cadherin or CD44 and tumor diameter, distant metastasis, deepness of damaging, lymph node metastasis, pTNM stage and histological grade (P<0.05). Spearman correlativity calculation displayed that the expression of the SOX4 protein was obviously responded with the expression of the N-cadherin and CD44 proteins. Moreover, the expression of the N-cadherin and CD44 proteins was also positively correlated. The E-cadherin protein was negatively correlated with SOX4, N-cadherin and CD44 protein expression in ESCC. SOX4, N-cadherin, CD44, E-cadherin, age and distant metastasis were determined to be separate elements that influenced the prognosis of patients with ESCC. CONCLUSIONS: We found that suppression of ESCC providers can suppress the growth of bad tumors and change therapeutic results for ESCC patient since CD44 supports the induction of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in ESCC.

Clinical significance of vasculogenic mimicry, vascular endothelial cadherin and SOX4 in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) plays an important role in invasion and metastasis of malignant tumor. High expression of vascular endothelial cadherin (VE-cahderin) in malignant tumor cells can promote the formation of VM. High expression of SOX4 (sex-determining region Y-related high-mobility group box 4) was found in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). It can promote the development of epithelial stromal transformation. Then, SOX4 can promote the formation of VM in ESCC. METHODS: Paraffin-embedded specimens of ESCC (with complete clinicopathological data) and normal esophageal mucosa adjacent to carcinoma (> 5 cm) were collected from January to December 2013. CD34/PAS was used to detect VM. The expression of VE-cadherin and SOX4 was used by immunohistochemistry. The patients were followed up in detail (survival time and survival status). RESULTS: SOX4, VM, and VE-cadherin were highly expressed in ESCC. Moreover, they were positively correlated. Survival analysis shows that the expressions of SOX4, VM, and VE-cadherin are associated with the patient's prognosis and can be independent prognostic factors for ESCC. CONCLUSIONS: Studies suggests that SOX4, which is highly expressed in ESCC, is involved in the formation of VM. The combined detection of SOX4, VE-cadherin and VM expression can be used as biomarkers for invasion and metastasis of ESCC. These three markers can be used as powerful prognostic factors in patients with ESCC.