Open Access

Role of epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers E-cadherin, N-cadherin, β-catenin and ZEB2 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma

  • Authors:
    • Guang‑Jie Zhu
    • Pan‑Pan Song
    • Han Zhou
    • Xiao‑Hui Shen
    • Jun‑Guo Wang
    • Xiao‑Feng Ma
    • Ya‑Jun Gu
    • Ding‑Ding Liu
    • An‑Ning Feng
    • Xiao‑Yun Qian
    • Xia Gao
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: January 8, 2018     https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2018.7751
  • Pages: 3472-3481
  • Copyright: © Zhu et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) allows neoplastic cells to gain the invasive phenotype and become migratory, which is required for cancer progression and metastasis. In the present study, the expression of EMT‑associated biomarkers and their association with clinicopathological parameters in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) was investigated. E‑cadherin, N‑cadherin, β‑catenin and zinc finger E‑box binding homeobox 2 (ZEB2) protein expression was evaluated with immunohistochemistry in a cohort of 76 patients with operable LSCC. The association between these transition markers, clinicopathological parameters and their prognostic impact in LSCC was analyzed. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that EMT-associated proteins were differentially expressed between LSCC and adjacent non‑neoplastic laryngeal tissue. Negative E‑cadherin expression and positive N‑cadherin, β‑catenin and ZEB2 expression were associated with a later tumor (T) stage, decreasing tumor differentiation and a reduced overall survival (OS) time (OS: E‑cadherin, P=0.016; N‑cadherin, P=0.003; β‑catenin, P=0.002; ZEB2, P=0.0003). E‑cadherin/β‑catenin co‑expression was significantly associated with the majority of clinicopathological parameters assessed, including lymph node metastases, T stage and tumor cell differentiation (P=0.004, P=0.005, and P<0.001, respectively). Multivariate analysis indicated that T stage and the positive expression of β‑catenin and ZEB2 were independent risk factors for OS in LSCC (P=0.014, P=0.025 and P=0.003, respectively). It was concluded that EMT mediates tumor progression, and reduces OS time in patients with LSCC. E‑cadherin/β‑catenin co‑expression may be associated with clinicopathological parameters. T stage, and the positive co‑expression of β‑catenin and ZEB2 may be independent predictors of prognosis in LSCC.
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March-2018
Volume 15 Issue 3

Print ISSN: 1792-1074
Online ISSN:1792-1082

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Copy and paste a formatted citation
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Spandidos Publications style
Zhu GJ, Song PP, Zhou H, Shen XH, Wang JG, Ma XF, Gu YJ, Liu DD, Feng AN, Qian XY, Qian XY, et al: Role of epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers E-cadherin, N-cadherin, β-catenin and ZEB2 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Oncol Lett 15: 3472-3481, 2018
APA
Zhu, G., Song, P., Zhou, H., Shen, X., Wang, J., Ma, X. ... Gao, X. (2018). Role of epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers E-cadherin, N-cadherin, β-catenin and ZEB2 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Oncology Letters, 15, 3472-3481. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2018.7751
MLA
Zhu, G., Song, P., Zhou, H., Shen, X., Wang, J., Ma, X., Gu, Y., Liu, D., Feng, A., Qian, X., Gao, X."Role of epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers E-cadherin, N-cadherin, β-catenin and ZEB2 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma". Oncology Letters 15.3 (2018): 3472-3481.
Chicago
Zhu, G., Song, P., Zhou, H., Shen, X., Wang, J., Ma, X., Gu, Y., Liu, D., Feng, A., Qian, X., Gao, X."Role of epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers E-cadherin, N-cadherin, β-catenin and ZEB2 in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma". Oncology Letters 15, no. 3 (2018): 3472-3481. https://doi.org/10.3892/ol.2018.7751