The Expression Of APRIL Gene In Patients With Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

APRIL(a proliferation-inducing ligand) A proliferation-inducing ligand is a type II membrane protein which has been found to stimulate tumor cell growth. In the present study, we found that APRIL was high expressed by a variety of humam cancers, including lymphoma, and cells of mayeloid origin, including macrophages, dendritic cells and actived T cells. It is a protective factor for tumor growth, maybe it is a kind of stimulating factor of tumor cell proliferation. In this study, to better delineate the role of APRIL gene in squamous cell carcinoma(SCC) of esophagus, we detected the expression of APRIL mRNA in patients with esophageal SCC.Objectives: To detect the the levels of APRIL in patients with esophageal carcinoma, latero-cancer, metastatic lympho node, and no metastatic lympho node via real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction method(FQ-RT PCR). Moreover, to detect the levels of APRIL and CEA (Human carcinoembryonic antigen)mRNA of PBMCs(peripheral blood mononuclear cells) in patients with esophageal carcinoma and in healthy contol team. To investigate the correlation between APRIL gene expression levels in tumor tissues and all kinds of pathology parameters, and to approach its clinical significant. At the same time, to compare the relationship of APRIL and CEA gene in peripheral blood and to direct clinical therapy and prognosis judgement.Methods: Using real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction method, we have detected the expression of APRIL gene of PBMC in 63 cases of esophagus squamous cancer, 30 cases of normal esophagus epithelium, 36 cases of pure hyperplasia, 29 cases of mild atypical hyperplasia, 10 cases of Severe atypical hyperplasia and 4 cases of cancer in situ. Via the same methods the levels of APRIL and CEA mRNA of PBMCs in 63 esophageal carcinoma cases and in healthy contol(n=20) at the dieb tert before operation. The correlation between APRIL expression and several pathology parameters and the relationship of APRIL and CEA mRNA expression were analyzed by SPSS11.0.Results: Comparing with the health control, the expression of APRIL mRNA was higher in mild atypical hyperplasia, cancer in situ and infiltrating carcinoma (P<0.01或P<0.05), and was highest in esophagus squamous cancer and metastatic lympho node(p<0.05). Medium associativity of APRIL and metastatic lympho node was observed(p<0.05). The positive rate of CEA and APRIL mRNA in PBMC of esophageal SCC is 68.3% and 65.1%. If the expression of APRIL and CEA mRNA alternatively is definited as positive, the positive rate of esophageal SCC will 81.1% when both APRIL and CEA mRNA are detected simultaneously. Therefore, significantly correlation of serum APRIL and CEA mRNA levels suggests that the expression of APRIL gene may have some kind of clinical significance in esophageal SCC.Conclusions: The significant correlation of APRIL gene expression and esophageal SCC suggests that APRIL should regulate the generation and mechanism of esophageal carcinoma in some way, furthermore it is useful to detect the APRIL gene expression to early diagnosis and judge prognosis of disease. Detecting APRIL and CEA mRNA by RT-PCR can increase the sensibility of diagnosis in esophageal SCC, offer the information of malignant biological behaviour in tumor, and help to judgement prognosis and monitoring therapeutic effect.Significance: The high expression of APRIL gene in tumor tissue is useful biomarker for reflecting patient's condition. It is supposed that APRIL could promote lymphatic metastasis of tumor cells by facilitating the generation of lymphoduct. Then lymphatic metastasis is important cause of high fatality and hard radical cure of tumor. So it is very considerable for selection clinical therapeutic regimen and prognosis judyement and monitoring curative effect to further studies on the regulation of the APRIL in patients with esophageal SCC. To unite detection of APRIL and CEA mRNA by RT-PCR can increase the sensibility of diagnosis in esophageal SCC, offer the information of malignant biological behaviour in tumor, and help to judgement prognosis and monitoring therapeutic effect.