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Overexpression and Interactions of Interleukin-10, Transforming Growth Factor β, and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

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Abstract

Background

Sharing the role of immune suppression, interleukin-10 (IL-10), transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are critical genes in several aspects of tumorigenesis. To elucidate the role of these cytokines in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), their relative mRNA expression in tumoral tissue compared with corresponding tumor-free tissue was evaluated.

Methods

A total of 49 patients with histologically confirmed ESCC were included in the study prior to any therapeutic interventions. Quantitative analysis of the mRNA expression was performed by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and the clinicopathologic associations were assessed.

Results

The mRNA of IL-10, VEGF, and TGF-β was frequently overexpressed in 53.2%, 44.9%, and 37.5% of ESCC patients, respectively. TGF-β was significantly co-expressed with IL-10 and with VEGF. Although VEGF was not independently associated with increased tumor size (p = 0.065), concomitant overexpression of VEGF with TGF-β was significantly correlated with increased size of the tumor (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Overexpression of IL-10, TGF-β, and VEGF plays an important role in ESCC and consequently leads to the frequent event of immune evasion in ESCC. TGF-β is concomitantly overexpressed with IL-10 and with VEGF in ESCC. A stimulatory signal from TGF-β to VEGF is necessary for VEGF to promote tumor progression.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the grant offered by the Vice Chancellor of Research, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (grant 86729). We are grateful to Mr. Nekoui for his help in data analysis, our colleagues in the Division of Human Genetics for their technical assistance, and the personnel of the Department of Surgery, Omid Hospital for their assistance in gathering specimens.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Human Genetics, Immunology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (MUMS), Mashhad, 9196773117, Iran

    Mehran Gholamin, Omeed Moaven, Moein Farshchian & Mohammad Reza Abbaszadegan

  2. Department of Pathology, Omid Hospital, MUMS, Mashhad, Iran

    Bahram Memar & Hossein Naseh

  3. Digestive Disease Research Center, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

    Reza Malekzadeh & Masoud Sotoudeh

  4. Department of Surgery, Omid Hospital, MUMS, Mashhad, Iran

    Mohammad Taghi Rajabi-Mashhadi & Mohammad Naser Forghani

  5. Department of Pathology, Razavi Hospital, Mashhad, Iran

    Farid Farrokhi

Authors
  1. Mehran Gholamin
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  2. Omeed Moaven
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  3. Bahram Memar
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  11. Mohammad Reza Abbaszadegan
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Correspondence to Mohammad Reza Abbaszadegan.

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Gholamin, M., Moaven, O., Memar, B. et al. Overexpression and Interactions of Interleukin-10, Transforming Growth Factor β, and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma. World J Surg 33, 1439–1445 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00268-009-0070-y

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