Analysis of HAX-1 gene expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

OBJECTIVE: To explore the expression of HAX-1 mRNA and protein in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and its relation with the prognosis of patients with ESCC. METHODS: The expression of HAX-1 mRNA and protein were detected with quantitative real-time RT-PCR and immunohistochemical method in 112 ESCC samples and 112 corresponding non-neoplastic samples. Survival curves were made with follow-up data. The relations of the prognosis with clinical and pathological characteristics were analyzed. RESULTS: The expression level of HAX-1 mRNA and the strong positive rate of HAX-1 protein were significantly higher in ESCC samples (0.527 ± 0.060 and 45.54%) than that in non-neoplastic samples (0.121 ± 0.017 and 0.00%), and in ESCC samples with lymph node metastasis (0.554 ± 0.054 and 71.11%) than that in ESCC samples without lymph node metastasis (0.509 ± 0.058 and 28.36%) (all P < 0.01). HAX-1 mRNA expression level was a risk factor of lymph node metastasis in patients with ESCC (P = 0.000). There were significant differences in survival curves between lymph node metastatic group and non-metastatic group (P = 0.000), and among groups of HAX-1 protein expression +, ++and +++(,P = 0.000); but no statistical significance between male patients and female patients (P = 0.119), and between ≥60 years old patients and <60 years old patients (P = 0.705). The level of HAX-1 mRNA (P = 0.000) and protein (P = 0.005) were risk factors of survival, but lymph node metastasis (P = 0.477) was not. CONCLUSION: There is HAX-1 over-expression in ESCC tissue and HAX-1 mRNA level is a risk factor of lymph node metastasis. The level of HAX-1 mRNA and protein were risk factors of survival in patients with ESCC. HAX-1 may be a novel therapeutic target for ESCC treatment. VIRTUAL SLIDES: The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/5130393079296037