Aim: To study the expression pattern of ETS2 (erythroblastosis virus oncogene homolog 2) in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).
Methods: Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Northern blot were performed to examine the expression level of ETS2 mRNA in 37 pairs of ESCC tissue samples. Western blot and immunohistochemistry were carried out to check the expression level of ETS2 protein in 30 pairs of ESCC tissue specimens.
Results: RT-PCR and Northern blot analysis showed that ETS2 mRNA upregulated in 75.7 % (28/37) examined ESCC tissues relative to matched normal tissues. From those 37 cases, 14 cases were randomly selected to perform Western blot and the results revealed that ETS2 protein overexpressed in 71.4 % (10/14) checked ESCC tissues compared with the corresponding normal tissues. Moreover, the expression patterns of ETS2 protein in those 14 cases were identical to those of ETS2 mRNA displayed by RT-PCR or Northern Blot. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that the expression level of ETS2 protein rose in 75 % (12/16) tumor epithelial cells contrasted to the normal cells. Altogether the expression level of ETS2 protein increased in 73.3 % (22/30) checked ESCC tissue samples contrary to their normal counterparts.
Conclusion: The results suggested that ETS2 overexpressed in paired human ESCC tissue samples at both mRNA and protein levels and may be associated with the tumorigenesis of esophagus.