Abstract
BackgroundHeat shock-related 70 kDa protein 2 (HSPA2) has been identified as a potential cancer-promoting protein expressed at abnormal levels in a subset of cancers. However, its important role in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is hardly known by people. The purpose of this study is to assess HSPA2 expression and to explore its role in ESCC.MethodsThirty ESCC samples, paired adjacent non-cancerous tissues and normal esophageal tissues, were collected for HSPA2 detection by quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blotting. Additionally, the expression of HSPA2 in ESCC and adjacent non-cancerous tissues from 120 patients was analyzed by immunohistochemistry, and correlated with clinicopathological parameters and patients’ outcome.ResultsHSPA2 mRNA and protein were overexpressed in ESCC tissues. Overexpression of HSPA2 was significantly associated with primary tumor, TNM stage, lymph node metastases and recurrence, respectively (all, P <0.05). Kaplan-Meier curves showed that elevated HSPA2 expression was associated with shorter disease-free survival and overall survival in ESCC patients. Cox multivariate regression analysis revealed that overexpression of HSPA2 was an independent prognostic factor in disease-free survival and overall survival for ESCC patients (hazard ratio was 2.115 and 2.210, respectively, P <0.05).ConclusionsOur findings demonstrate that overexpression of HSPA2 may contribute to the malignant progression of ESCC and present a novel prognostic indicator for ESCC patients.
Highlights
Heat shock-related 70 kDa protein 2 (HSPA2) has been identified as a potential cancer-promoting protein expressed at abnormal levels in a subset of cancers
Aberrant expression of Heat shock-related kDa protein 2 (HSPA2) in testes induced primary spermatocytes to arrest in meiosis I and undergo apoptosis, which was leading to male infertility [6]
In this study we used quantitative Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), western blotting and immunohistochemistry to evaluate HSPA2 expression and its correlation with the survival of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients. Consistent with these studies, we suggested that elevated HSPA2 expression was associated with poor survival of ESCC patients
Summary
Heat shock-related 70 kDa protein 2 (HSPA2) has been identified as a potential cancer-promoting protein expressed at abnormal levels in a subset of cancers. In China, the majority of esophageal cancer diagnoses are esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), which is ranked as the eighth leading cause of death nationwide, mostly in northern China where the incidence rate can be as high as 800 cases per 100,000 people [1]. HSPA2 has been identified as a potential cancer-promoting protein expressed at abnormal levels in a subset of human cancers, such as breast cancer [7], cervical cancer [8], bladder urothelial cancer [9], nasopharyngeal carcinoma [10] and malignant tumors [11]. Whether there is HSPA2 expression in ESCC or not, has not been reported in China and abroad so far
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
