摘要目的 研究Notch1与血管内皮生长因子C(VEGF-C)在早中期食管鳞状细胞癌(ESCC)中的表达及其与临床病理特征的关系.方法 收集2007年5月至12月在本院行食管癌根治术的40例早中期ESCC和8例正常食管组织病理标本,免疫组化方法检测Notch1和VEGF-C的表达,并探讨其与临床病理特征的关系,分析Notch1和VEGF-C表达的相关性.结果 与正常食管组织比较,早中期ESCC组织Notch1表达阳性率下降[47.5%(19/40)比100.0%(8/8),P=0.006)],而VEGF-C表达升高[67.5%(27/40)比0.0%(0/8),P=0.000].高、中、低分化ESCC组织中Notch1表达阳性率分别为80.0%(8/10)、50.0%(7/14)、25.0%(4/16),Notch1表达阳性率随肿瘤分化程度降低而降低(P=0.023),但在肿瘤浸润程度和淋巴结转移中差异无统计学意义(均P＞0.05).高、中、低分化ESCC组织中VEGF-C表达阳性率分别为30.0%(3/10)、71.4%(10/14)、81.3%(13/16),VEGF-C表达阳性率随分化程度的降低而升高(P=0.024).淋巴结转移阳性组VEGF-C表达阳性率高于淋巴结转移阴性组[100.0%(16/16)比45.8%(11/24),P=0.000].与T2分期组比较,T3～T4分期组ESCC组织VEGF-C表达阳性率升高[82.1%(23/28)比33.3%(4/12),P=0.000].Notch1与VEGF-C表达呈负相关(r=-0.486,P=0.003).结论 Notch1在早中期ESCC中表现为抑癌基因,其异常低表达可能是引起VEGF-C异常高表达的因素之一.

abstractsObjective To study the expression of Notch1 and vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C) in early metaphase esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and its relationship with the clinicopathological characters. Methods Tissue slices of 40 ESCC and 8 normal esophagus tissues were collected during esophagectomy in our hospital from May 2007 to December 2007. The expression of Notch1 and VEGF-C was detected by immunohistochemistry. The correlation between Notch1 and VEGF-C and the relationship with the clinicopathological characters were discussed. Results Compared in early metaphase ESCC to that in normal tissue, Notch1 was obviously low expressed [47.5%(19/40) vs 100.0%(8/8) ,P=0.006) ], and VEGF-C was high expressed[ 67.5%(27/40) vs 0.0%(0/8) ,P=0.000]. Notch1 expression rate in different phase ESCC was 80.0%(8/10, well-differentiated), 50.0%(7/14, moderate-differentiated), 25.0%(4/16, poor-differentiatedwhile),respectively. The positive expression rate of Noch1 decreased with the decrease of differentiation degree (P=0.023), but there was no significant differences between infiltration degree and lymph node metastasis(P＞0.05).While VEGF-C expression rate was 30.0%(3/10, well-differentiated), 71.4%( 10/14, moderate-differentiated),81.3% (13/16, poor-differentiated), respectively. The expression of VEGF-C increased with the decrease of differentiation degree(P=0.024). VEGF-C expression in lymph nodes metastasis group was higher than that in no lymph nodes metastasis group [ 100.0 % (16/16) vs 45.8 % ( 11/24 ), P=0.000 ]. Compared with T2 group, the positive rate of VEGF-C expression was higher in T3-T4 group in ESCC tissue [ 82.1%(23/28) vs 33.3% (4/12),P=0.000 ]. Correlation was negative between Notch 1 and VEGF-C (r=-0.486, P=0.003). Conclusions Notch 1may be one of the anti-oncogenes in early metaphase ESCC. The aberrant low expression of Noch1 may lead to aberrant high expression of VEGF-C.