Expression of differentiation associated protein Hes1 and Hes5 in cervical squamous carcinoma and its precursors

Hairy and Enhancer-of-split homologues 1 and 5 (Hes1 and Hes5) are the basic helix-loop-helix transcriptional factors that negatively regulate the cell differentiation during embryogenesis. It has been reported that they may be involved in carcinogenesis in some tumors. The roles of Hes1 and Hes5 in development and progression of cervical carcinoma are not well documented todate. In the study, the expression of Hes1 and Hes5 were detected by immunohistochemistry in 295 cases with various degrees of cervical epithelial lesions, including 78 normal cervical epithelia, 31 mild dysplasia (CIN I), 77 moderate-severe dysplasia (CIN II-III), and 109 squamous cervical carcinomas (SCCs), and their association with various clinical pathologic prognostic variables were analyzed in 73 early-stage SCC patients who underwent surgery. Hes1 and Hes5 expression were found to be significantly higher in SCC compared with CIN as well as higher in CIN than normal cervical epithelia, and positively correlated with various prognostic factors in early-stage cervical carcinoma. Our findings suggest that Hes1 and Hes5 may be involved in carcinogenesis of the cervix and progression of cervical carcinoma. Hes1 and Hes5 overexpression are probably variables to predict poor prognosis of the patients with early-stage cervical carcinoma.