Altered expression of lysosomal associated membrane protein 1 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common cancers. LAMP1, major protein components of lysosome, is primarily located on the lysosomal membrane and rarely expressed on the surface of normal cells, playing an important role in the lysosome-mediated physiological processes. Previous studies confirmed that LAMP1 showed high expression in astrocytoma. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression levels of LAMP1 and to discuss its roles in ESCC.

We collected 610 tissue samples of ESCC patients to construct tissue microarrays, which were subsequently stained by immunohistochemistry with LAMP1 antibody.

After immunohistochemical staining, a total of 584 patients, including 453 men and 131 women, were analysed. The positive immunostaining was mainly located at the cytoplasm. The LAMP1 expression levels were significantly different between different T status (P<0.001), TNM stages (P<0.01) and degrees of tumor histological differentiation (P<0.001). Besides, LAMP1 expression levels were positively correlated with TNM stages (P<0.05). The higher the TNM stages, the higher the LAMP1 expression levels. Similar results also appeared in degrees of tumor histological differentiation (P<0.01), but not in ages, genders, tumor size, T status, lymphatic metastasis and tumor locations (P>0.05).

LAMP1 is involved in the TNM stages and histological differentiation of the ESCC. Targeted therapy for LAMP1 may be a promising novel therapeutic strategy against poorly differentiated ESCC.