EXPRESSION OF AUTOCRINE MOTILITY FACTOR-RECEPTOR IN HUMAN ESOPHAGEAL SQUAMOUS-CELL CARCINOMA

Autocrine motility factor and its receptor (gp78) have been shown to p lay an important role in tumor cell migration, invasion and metastasis . We have detected gp78 expression in buffered-formalin-fixed, paraffi n-embedded sections of esophageal squamous cell carcinomas using an an ti-gp78 monoclonal antibody (MAb), 3F3A, and examined the relationship between gp78 expression and clinicopathological and prognostic factor s. In 55 of 101 (54%) patients, gp78 was detected in the tumor cells. The frequency of gp78-positive expression was significantly associated with tumor sire, infiltrative growth, depth of invasion and lymph nod e metastasis. The cumulative survival rate of patients with gp78 was s ignificantly lower than that of patients without gp78. Our results sug gest that autocrine motility factor receptor (gp78) expression could b e a useful biomarker for malignancy grading and prognosis in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. (C) 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.