Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Development of Compendium for Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Published on: April 12, 2024
Relationship between COX-2 and cell cycle-regulatory proteins in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Jun-Xing Huang1, Wei Xiao, Wei-Chang Chen
1Department of Oncology, The People's Hospital of Taizhou, Taizhou Medical School, Yangzhou and Nantong University, No. 210, Yingchun Road, Taizhou 225300, Jiangsu Province, China. huangjunxing@yahoo.com.cn
Aim:
To investigate the correlation between cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and cell cycle-regulatory proteins in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).
Methods:
One hundred and two surgically obtained specimens of ESCC were randomly collected. All specimens were obtained from patients who had not received chemo- or radiotherapy prior to surgical resection. Twenty-eight specimens of normal squamous epithelium served as controls. The expression of COX-2, Ki-67, cyclin A and p27 was examined by immunohistochemistry. The Pearson test was used to analyze the relationship between groups.
Results:
The protein level of COX-2, Ki-67 and cyclin A was significantly higher in ESCC than in normal squamous epithelium (74.7 ± 61.2 vs 30.2 ± 43.4, 64.0 ± 51.6 vs 11.6 ± 2.3, 44.2 ± 32.2 vs 11.7 ± 5.0, respectively, all P < 0.01). In contrast, the protein level of p27 was significantly lower in ESCC than in normal squamous epithelium (182.0 ± 69.0 vs 266.4 ± 28.0, P < 0.01). In ESCC, COX-2 expression was correlated with T stage, the score of T1-T2 stage was lower than that of T3-T4 stage (55.0 ± 42.3 vs 83.0 ± 66.5, P < 0.05), and Ki-67, cyclin A and p27 expressions were correlated with the tumor differentiation (43.8 ± 31.7 vs 98.4 ± 84.8, 32.0 ± 19.0 vs 54.1 ± 53.7, 206.2 ± 61.5 vs 123.5 ± 68.3, respectively, all P < 0.01). COX-2 expression was positively correlated to Ki-67, cyclin A and negatively correlated to p27 expression in ESCC (r = 0.270, 0.233 and -0.311, respectively, all P < 0.05).
Conclusion:
The expression of COX-2 is correlated with tumor cell invasion and is closely related to the cell proliferation in patients with ESCC.
Related Concept Videos
Inhibition of Cdk Activity
Positive Regulator Molecules
The Cell Cycle Control System
The Cell Cycle Control System
Cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) are the primary cell cycle regulators and function at the cell...
Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
Molecular Factors Affecting Cell Division
Several proteins function as internal regulators to ensure each cell cycle stage is completed faithfully before proceeding to the next. Regulator molecules may act directly or influence the activity or production of other...
