Expression and diagnostic significance of CCCTC-binding factor in endometrial carcinoma

Abstract:

Objective：To investigate the expression and diagnostic significance of CCCTC-binding factor（CTCF） in the endometrium. Methods：Normal endometrium samples collected from 30 healthy women were served as control group（15 samples at proliferation phase and 15 samples at secretion phase） However，endometrium samples collected from 45 patients with endometrial carcinoma were served as test group. Expression level and correlation of CTCF protein and telomerase gene human telomerase reverse transcriptase（hTERT） protein in two groups were determined by Western blot，while the transcription level of CTCF mRNA and telomerase gene hTERT mRNA was detected by semi-quantitative PCR（RT-PCR）. Results：CTCF and hTERT were both expressed in two groups. Positive expression percentage and relative expression quantity for CTCF protein and telomerase gene hTERT protein in test group were both different from those in control group（88.89% vs. 60%，?字2=8.57，P=0.005；80% vs. 26.67%，?字2=21.11，P=0.000；t=50.039，P=0.000；t=10.662，P=0.000）. There were differences in mRNA expression of CTCF and hTERT gene between test group and control group（t=67.448，P=0.000；t=65.908，P=0.000）. Expression of CTCF was associated with endometrial carcinoma histological stages and clinical stages（?字2=8.613，P=0.007； ?字2=11.739，P=0.001），while not with histological subtypes（?字2=4.906，P=0.086）. Meanwhile，expres－sion of hTERT has nothing to do with histological stages，histological subtypes and clinical stage（?字2=0.352，P=0.258；?字2=1.568，P=0.457； ?字2=0.000，P=1.000）. Expression of CTCF was positively correlated with hTERT in endometrial carcinoma（?字2=5.625，P=0.018；r=0.354，P=0.017）. Conclusions：CTCF and telomerase hTERT are differently expressed in endometrial carcinoma and normal en－dometrial tissues. Expression of CTCF and telomerase hTERT is also different under different clinical parameters. CTCF and hTERT might play an important role in forecasting endometrial carcinoma recurrence which has close relationship with clinical parameters.