Objective: To investigate the expression of Ezrin in gastric cancer, its role in tumor metastasis.
Methods: Ezrin expression in tumor tissues from 90 gastric cancer cases and in normal gastric mucosa from 12 cases with benign disease was examined by immunohistochemical staining. Ezrin expression in gastric cancer cell lines was also detected by Western blot, and in vitro invasion assay was used to examine the invasive ability of the cell lines.
Results: The expression rate of Ezrin was significantly higher in gastric cancer tissues than that in normal tissues (P< 0.05), and significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis (P< 0.05). Western blot showed that MKN-45 cell line had the highest expression of Ezrin among 5 gastric cancer cells. MKN-45 possessed highest invasion ability.
Conclusion: Ezrin expression is up-regulated, and may be associated with lymph node metastasis in gastric cancer.