Immunohistochemical Expression of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Markers in Early Gastric Cancer: Cancer Tissue versus Noncancer Tissue
- Author:
Hee Jae JUNG
1
;
Su Jin HONG
;
Shin Hee KIM
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition; Immunohistochemistry; Early gastric cancer; Endoscopic submucosal dissection
- MeSH: Actins; Biopsy; Cadherins; Down-Regulation; Epithelial Cells; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; Fibroblasts; Follow-Up Studies; Helicobacter pylori; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Prospective Studies; Stomach Neoplasms; Transforming Growth Factors; Up-Regulation; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; Vimentin
- From:Clinical Endoscopy 2019;52(5):464-471
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: BACKGROUND/AIMS: Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a developmental process, wherein the epithelial cells show reduced intercellular adhesions and acquire migratory fibroblastic properties. EMT is associated with downregulation in epithelial marker expression, abnormal translocation of E-cadherin, and upregulation in mesenchymal marker expression. Here, we investigated the immunohistochemical (IHC) expression of EMT markers in early gastric cancer (EGC) between cancer and noncancer tissues. METHODS: Tissue samples were prospectively obtained from 19 patients with EGC that underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). We compared the expression level of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), E-cadherin, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and vimentin between cancer and noncancer tissues using IHC. Among the 19 patients, 15 patients had follow-up biopsy at 3 months after ESD for EGC. RESULTS: Cancer tissues presented higher values of EMT mesenchymal markers (α-SMA/vimentin/TGF-β/VEGF) than the noncancerous tissues (p<0.05) that were significantly low after ESD (p<0.05). No significant correlation was reported for tumor location and initial Helicobacter pylori infection. CONCLUSIONS: The mesenchymal expression of EMT markers was higher in the cancerous tissues than in the noncancer tissues.
