[Experimental study of c-jun protein expression on proliferation and apoptosis of laryngeal cancer cells]

c-jun is an early protooncogene and its protein product is a component of activating protein-1 (AP-1) transcription factor. c-jun participates in the transcription of many growth factors and cytokines. Recently it has been found that the expression level and activity of c-jun protein in tumor cells abnormally increased and c-jun protein controlled the proliferation, surviving, and apoptosis of tumor cells. In this study, the expression of c-jun protein in laryngeal cancer and its relationship with clinical statistics were discussed to evaluate the controlling role of c-jun protein in laryngeal cancer.

Samples from Department of Otolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, were acquired from May 2001 to February 2002. These samples including 52 laryngeal cancer tissues, 15 vocal polyps, and 10 normal laryngeal tissues were investigated individually by immunohistochemistry to observe the localization and expression of c-jun protein in these three kinds of samples.

The expression of c-jun protein in laryngeal cancer (56.41+/-24.8%) was not only significantly higher than that in vocal cord (32.48+/-1.78%) and laryngeal tissue (no expression), but also was correlated with the differentiating degree of laryngeal cancer tissue and lymph node metastasis(P< 0.01); however, the expression of c-jun was not associated with clinical staging(P >0.05).

The expression level of c-jun protein significantly increased in laryngeal cancer cell and its expression may be considered as an indicator for differentiating degree,neck lymph node metastasis, and prognosis of laryngeal cancer.