Correlation between MYH۱۱ expression and clinicopathological features of ESCC patients

Esophageal cancer (EC) is the eighth most common cancer and the sixth leading cause of cancer-related mortality globally. Two histological subtypes of EC are esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). ESCC is the most prevalent type of EC worldwide, accounting for up to ۹۰% of all diagnosed esophageal malignancies. Comprehensive studies in this field are crucial due to the insufficient knowledge of ESCC pathogenesis, the current challenges in its management, and its high mortality rate. Investigation of gene expression patterns and identification of potential biomarkers related to disease progression can help evaluate prognostic risks and direct treatment options. Myosin heavy chain ۱۱ (MYH۱۱) is a smooth muscle myosin belonging to the myosin heavy chain family. Myosins mediate numerous intracellular processes, including muscle contraction, cell migration, intracellular transport, signal transduction, and tumor suppression. Dysregulation of MYH۱۱ has been demonstrated in various types of cancer, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML), as well as gastric, breast, head and neck, lung, bladder, and colorectal cancers, where its significant downregulation was frequently associated with poor prognosis outcomes, metabolic alterations, and tumor progression. The decreased expression level of MYH۱۱ is associated more to its role as a prognostic marker rather than as a direct therapeutic target. However, there are insights into potential therapeutic strategies. These strategies involve gene therapy via overexpression of MYH۱۱ (as studied in gastric and colorectal cancers), epigenetic modulation using demethylating agents (as explored in gastric cancer), combination therapies with drugs that affect cytoskeletal dynamics (as investigated in lung cancer), and targeted therapies that address specific genetic mutations (such as those found in AML). However, expression of MYH۱۱ in ESCC has not yet been fully investigated. This study fills this gap by focusing on the potential oncogenic role of MYH۱۱ in ESCC and its correlation with clinicopathological parameters in patients, providing a novel perspective on ESCC diagnosis and treatment. Methods: Gene expression profiling of MYH۱۱ was performed using quantitative real-time PCR in ۵۰ ESCC tissue samples and compared to corresponding margin-normal esophageal tissues. Results: Underexpression of MYH۱۱ was indicated in ۴۲% of ESCC tumor samples. The statistical analysis revealed a significant correlation between the log۲ FC of the mRNA expression level of MYH۱۱ with tumor location (P = ۰.۰۵), stage of tumor progression (P = ۰.۰۱۷), and tumor grade (P = ۰.۰۳۸). However, no significant associations were observed between MYH۱۱ expression and sex, lymph node involvement, or depth of tumor invasion. Conclusion: The findings revealed that MYH۱۱ expression strongly correlates with major clinicopathological characteristics, such as tumor location, grade, and advanced stages in ESCC patients. The observed correlations suggest that MYH۱۱ could be a valuable biomarker for determining tumor progression and differentiation in ESCC. Further research is required to investigate the mechanistic role of MYH۱۱ in ESCC development and its potential utility in clinical prognosis and therapy.

کلیدواژه ها:

Esophageal cancer ، MYH۱۱ ، ESCC ، gene expression