Expression And Significance Of CTLA-4 And STAT3 In Cervical Squamous Intraepithelial Lesion And Cervical Cancer

Objective:To observe the morphological characteristics of chronic cervicitis,cervical squamous intraepithelial lesion and cervical cancer.To detect the expression levels of cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4(CTLA-4)protein and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3)protein in chronic cervicitis,cervical squamous intraepithelial lesion and cervical cancer,and analyze the relationship between their expression in cervical cancer and clinicopathological features.It aims to further explore the occurrence and development mechanism of cervical cancer and provide some experimental data for the treatment of cervical cancer.Methods:From January 2019 to December 2020,a total of 76 cervical tissue specimens with definite diagnosis were selected,including 14 cases of chronic cervicitis,34 cases of cervical squamous intraepithelial lesion and 28 cases of cervical cancer.Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe the morphological characteristics of chronic cervicitis,cervical squamous intraepithelial lesion and cervical cancer.The expressions of CTLA-4 protein and STAT3 protein in chronic cervicitis,cervical squamous intraepithelial lesion and cervical cancer were detected by immunohistochemistry.SPSS 21.0 statistical software was used for data processing,and P<0.05 indicated statistically significant.Theχ~2test was used to determine whether there was any significant difference in the positive expression rates of CTLA-4 protein or STAT3protein in different cervical tissues.The Fisher’s exact test was used to analyze the relationship between the expression of CTLA-4 protein or STAT3 protein and clinicopathological features.The Spearman rank correlation test was used to determine whether there was a correlation between the expressions of CTLA-4protein and STAT3 protein in cervical cancer.Results:1.The morphological changes of chronic cervicitis,cervical squamous intraepithelial lesion and cervical cancer were further studied by hematoxylin-eosin staining.2.The positive expression rates of CTLA-4 protein in chronic cervicitis,cervical squamous intraepithelial lesion and cervical cancer increased gradually,accounting for 35.71%(5/14),50.00%(17/34)and 67.86%(19/28),respectively.The positive expression rate of CTLA-4 protein in cervical cancer was significantly higher than that in chronic cervicitis(P=0.047).The positive expression rate of CTLA-4 protein in cervical cancer increased with the increase of FIGO staging,being 33.33%(3/9)in stage Ⅰ,77.78%(7/9)in stage Ⅱ and 90.00%(9/10)in stage Ⅲ,respectively,the difference was significant between stage Ⅱand stage Ⅲ(P=0.020).The expression of CTLA-4 protein in cervical cancer was not related to age,pathological type,infiltration depth of cervical muscle wall,vascular tumor thrombus,nerve infiltration and lymph node metastasis,the difference was not significant(P>0.05).The expression of CTLA-4 protein in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes was related to lymph node metastasis and FIGO staging.The positive expression rate of CTLA-4 protein in the lymph node metastasis group(90.00%,9/10)was higher than that in the non-lymph node metastasis group(33.33%,6/18),the difference was significant(P=0.006).The positive expression rate of stage Ⅲ(90.00%,9/10)was higher than that of stage Ⅰ(33.33%,3/9)and stage Ⅱ(33.33%,3/9),the difference was significant(P=0.020,P=0.020).The expression of CTLA-4 protein in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes was not related to age,pathological type,infiltration depth of cervical muscle wall,vascular tumor thrombus and nerve infiltration,the difference was not significant(P>0.05).3.The positive expression rates of STAT3 protein in chronic cervicitis,cervical squamous intraepithelial lesion and cervical cancer increased gradually,accounting for 21.43%(3/14),52.94%(18/34)and 78.57%(22/28),respectively.The positive expression rate of STAT3 protein in cervical cancer was significantly higher than that of cervical squamous intraepithelial lesion and chronic cervicitis,the difference was significant(P=0.036,P=0.000).The positive expression rate of STAT3 protein in cervical squamous intraepithelial lesion was significantly higher than that of chronic cervicitis,the difference was significant(P=0.045).The positive expression rate of STAT3 protein in cervical cancer increased with the increase of FIGO staging,being 55.56%(5/9)in stage Ⅰ,77.78%(7/9)in stage Ⅱ and 100%(10/10)in stage Ⅲ,respectively,the difference was significant between stage Ⅱand stage Ⅲ(P=0.033).The expression of STAT3 protein in cervical cancer was not related to age,pathological type,infiltration depth of cervical muscle wall,vascular tumor thrombus,nerve infiltration and lymph node metastasis,the difference was not significant(P>0.05).4.There was no correlation between the expression of CTLA-4 protein and STAT3 protein in cervical cancer(r=0.013,P=0.946).Conclusions:1.The positive expression rate of CTLA-4 protein in cervical cancer was significantly higher than that in chronic cervicitis.The expression of CTLA-4 protein in cervical cancer was related to FIGO staging,while the expression of CTLA-4 protein in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes was related to lymph node metastasis and FIGO staging.2.The positive expression rates of STAT3 protein in different cervical tissues were significantly different.The expression of STAT3 protein in cervical cancer was related to FIGO staging.3.There was no correlation between the expression of CTLA-4 protein and STAT3 protein in cervical cancer.