Expression of CAAT enhancer binding protein beta (C/EBP beta) in cervix and endometrium

The CCAAT element binding protein family of transcriptional factors consists of at least six members of the basic leucine zipper DNA binding proteins that bind to the same CCAAT palindromic DNA sequence through homo- or hetero-dimerization with the same family members. C/EBP beta has been shown to play an important role in mediating the effects of the LH/hCG in ovarian development. C/EBP beta was also found increased in ovarian cancer and correlated to ovarian cancer progression.

We assessed the C/EBP beta expression pattern in the normal and neoplastic conditions of the female genital tract by immunostaining the normal cervix--10 cases, squamous intraepithelial lesion (SIL)-10, invasive squamous carcinomas of cervix--10 cases, normal endometrial tissue--10 cases, and invasive endometrial adenocarcinomas carcinomas-10 cases. The staining pattern and intensity were graded from 0 to 2+. Results were statistically analyzed utilizing JMP 4.1.

C/EPB beta expression was detected in the normal proliferative squamous, dysplastic and malignant squamous epithelial cells. There was no statistical correlation between C/EPB beta staining in benign squamous, endocervical tissue, SIL, and squamous cancer, as the majority of all stained positively (91%, 79%, 71% and 89%, respectively, p = 0.3448). However, endometrial carcinoma was significantly more likely to stain positively with C/EPB beta than benign endometrial glands (92% versus 3% respectively, p < 0.0001, Fisher's exact test).

C/EBP beta is more likely to be preferentially expressed in endometrial adenocarcinoma as compared to benign endometrial tissue. There is no difference of C/EPB beta expression in squamous neoplasia of the cervix.