Research article

Prognostic relevance of Centromere protein H expression in esophageal carcinoma

Xian-Zhi Guo^{* 1,2,6} , Ge Zhang^{* 5} , Jun-Ye Wang³ , Wan-Li Liu^1,2 , Fang Wang⁴ , Ju-Qin Dong^1,2 , Li-Hua Xu^1,2 , Jing-Yan Cao^1,2 , Li-Bing Song^1,2 and Mu-Sheng Zeng^1,2

¹State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, PR China

²Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, PR China

³Thoracic Carcinoma, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, PR China

⁴Pathology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, PR China

⁵School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China

⁶The Central Hospital of Xuhui District, Shanghai, PR China

author email corresponding author email* Contributed equally

BMC Cancer 2008, 8:233doi:10.1186/1471-2407-8-233

Published:	13 August 2008

Abstract

Background

Many kinetochore proteins have been shown to be associated with human cancers. The aim of the present study was to clarify the expression of Centromere protein H (CENP-H), one of the fundamental components of the human active kinetochore, in esophageal carcinoma and its correlation with clinicopathological features.

Methods

We examined the expression of CENP-H in immortalized esophageal epithelial cells as well as in esophageal carcinoma cells, and in 12 cases of esophageal carcinoma tissues and the paired normal esophageal tissues by RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. In addition, we analyzed CENP-H protein expression in 177 clinicopathologically characterized esophageal carcinoma cases by immunohistochemistry. Statistical analyses were applied to test for prognostic and diagnostic associations.

Results

The level of CENP-H mRNA and protein were higher in the immortalized cells, cancer cell lines and most cancer tissues than in normal control tissues. Immunohistochemistry showed that CENP-H was expressed in 127 of 171 ESCC cases (74.3%) and in 3 of 6 esophageal adenocarcinoma cases (50%). Statistical analysis of ESCC cases showed that there was a significant difference of CENP-H expression in patients categorized according to gender (P = 0.013), stage (P = 0.023) and T classification (P = 0.019). Patients with lower CENP-H expression had longer overall survival time than those with higher CENP-H expression. Multivariate analysis suggested that CENP-H expression was an independent prognostic marker for esophageal carcinoma patients. A prognostic value of CENP-H was also found in the subgroup of T3~T4 and N0 tumor classification.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that CENP-H protein is a valuable marker of esophageal carcinoma progression. CENP-H might be used as a valuable prognostic marker for esophageal carcinoma patients.