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Significance and prognostic value of Gli-1 and Snail/E-cadherin expression in progressive gastric cancer

  • Research Article
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Tumor Biology

Abstract

Abnormal activation of the hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway has been found to be involved in the occurrence, invasion, and metastasis of cancers. Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) also plays an important role in the invasion and metastasis of cancers. However, the significance of the Hh signaling pathway and EMT in the invasion and metastasis of gastric cancer is still unclear. This study aimed to investigate the significance and prognostic value of the Hh signaling pathway and EMT in progressive gastric cancer. Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect the expression of the Hh-induced transcriptional factor Gli-1 and the EMT-related molecules Snail and E-cadherin in 121 patients with progressive gastric cancer. Histological type, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis, and pTNM stage were also recorded. In progressive gastric cancer, Gli-1 expression increased markedly, and was closely associated with increased Snail expression and decreased E-cadherin expression. Diffuse type cancer, lymph node metastasis, and abnormal expression of E-cadherin were independent factors influencing the prognosis of patients with progressive gastric cancer. These findings suggest that abnormal activation of the Hh signaling pathway is closely related to the presence of EMT and is an important factor influencing the prognosis of patients with diffuse progressive gastric cancer.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of General Surgery, Shanghai Jiaotong University Affiliated First People’s Hospital, Shanghai, China

    Zhan-shan Wang, Yang Shen, Xu Li, Chong-zhi Zhou, Yu-gang Wen & Ji-kun Li

  2. Department of Pathology, Shanghai Jiaotong University Affiliated First People’s Hospital, Shanghai, China

    Yu-biao Jin

Authors
  1. Zhan-shan Wang
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  2. Yang Shen
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  3. Xu Li
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  4. Chong-zhi Zhou
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  5. Yu-gang Wen
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  6. Yu-biao Jin
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  7. Ji-kun Li
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ji-kun Li.

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Zhan-shan Wang and Yang Shen contributed equally to this study.

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Wang, Zs., Shen, Y., Li, X. et al. Significance and prognostic value of Gli-1 and Snail/E-cadherin expression in progressive gastric cancer. Tumor Biol. 35, 1357–1363 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13277-013-1185-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13277-013-1185-1

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