Ovarian epithelial carcinoma tyrosine phosphorylation, cell proliferation, and ezrin translocation are stimulated by interleukin 1alpha and epidermal growth factor

Association of ezrin expression in intestinal and diffuse gastric carcinoma with clinicopathological parameters and tumor type

AIM: To investigate the correlation between ezrin expression and types of gastric carcinoma and clinico-pathological variables.

METHODS: We examined ezrin protein expression in 75 gastric carcinoma (53 intestinal types of adenocarcinoma, 22 diffuse types of carcinoma) tissues by immunohistochemistry. The results were compared with clinicopathological parameters such as tumor type, grade of tumor, clinical stage, presence of metastatic lymph node, and depth of invasion.

RESULTS: Ezrin immunostaining was positive in 43 cases (81.1%) of intestinal type and in 9 (40.9%) cases of diffuse type adenocarcinomas (P < 0.001). In gastric carcinomas, the expression of ezrin protein correlated with the status of H pylori and survival. There was no correlation between expression of ezrin with TNM stage and histological grade of gastric carcinomas (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION: The low expression of ezrin implicates the loss of adhesion in diffuse carcinomas. Furthermore, overexpression of ezrin in carcinomas with H pylori infection may be a genuine specific pathway in which H pylori may cause/initiate gastric carcinoma.

Upregulated expression of Ezrin and invasive phenotype in malignantly transformed esophageal epithelial cells

AIM: To investigate the correlation between ezrin expression and invasive phenotype formation in malignantly transformed esophageal epithelial cells.

METHODS: The experimental cell line employed in the present study was originated form the progressive induction of a human embryonic esophageal epithelial cell line (SHEE) by the E6E7 genes of human papillomavirus (HPV) type 18. The cells at the 35^th passage after induction called SHEEIMM were in a state of immortalized phase and used as the control, while that of the 85^th passage denominated as SHEEMT represented the status of cells that were malignantly transformed. The expression changes of ezrin and its mRNA in both cell passages were respectively analyzed by RT-PCR and Western blot. Invasive phenotype was assessed in vivo by inoculating these cells into the severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice via subcutaneous and intraperitoneal injection, and in vitro by inoculating them on the surface of the amnion membranes, which then was determined by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.

RESULTS: Upregulated expression of ezrin protein and its mRNA was observed in SHEEMT compared with that in SHEEIMM cells. The SHEEMT cells inoculated in SCID mice were observed forming tumor masses in both visceral organs and soft tissues in a period of 40 d with a special propensity to invading mesentery and pancreas, but did not exhibit hepatic metastases. Pathologically, these tumor cells harboring larger nucleus, nucleolus and less cytoplasm could infiltrate and destroy adjacent tissues. In the in vitro study, the inoculated SHEEMT cells could grow in cluster on the amniotic epithelial surface and intrude into the amniotic stroma. In contrast, unrestricted growth and invasiveness were not found in SHEEIMM cells in both in vivo and in vitro experiment.

CONCLUSION: The upregulated ezrin expression is one of the important factors that are possibly associated with the invasive phenotype formation in malignantly transformed esophageal epithelial cells.