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Expressions of CDX-2 and LI-cadherin in Gastric Benign Lesions and Tumor and Its Significance

ObjectiveTo investigate the potential role of caudal type homeobox transcription factor-2 (CDX-2) and liverintestine cadherin (LI-cadherin) in the development and progression of gastric tumor by detecting their expressions in gastric cancer and benign lesions. MethodsThe expressions of CDX-2 and LI-cadherin protein were detected by immunohistochemistry in normal gastric mucosa (n=28), chronic superficial gastritis (n=30), chronic atrophic gastritis (n=42), intestinal metaplasia (n=58), gastric adenocarcinoma (n=46), vicinity cancerous tissue (n=30), and gastric stromal tumor (n=10)．Then, the relationship between expression of CDX-2 or LI-cadherin protein and clinicopathologic features was analyzed． Results①The expressions of CDX-2 and LI-cadherin were all negative in normal gastric mucosa, chronic superficial gastritis, vicinity cancerous tissue, and gastric stromal tumor. The positive rates of CDX-2 protein expression in intestinal metaplasia and gastric adenocarcinoma were 91.4% (53/58) and 80.4% (37/46), respectively, and the positive rates of LI-cadherin protein expression were 82.8% (48/58) in intestinal metaplasia and 65.2% (30/46) in gastric adenocarcinoma. The positive rates of CDX-2 and LI-cadherin protein expression in intestinal type gastric adenocarcinoma 〔90.6% (29/32) and 78.1% (25/32)〕 were higher than those in diffuse type gastric adenocarcinoma 〔57.1% (8/14) and 35.7% (5/14)〕, Plt;0.05． ② CDX-2 protein expression was associated with degree of differentiation (P=0.007), and LI-cadherin protein expression was associated with lymph node metastasis (P=0.007) and cancer staging (P=0.013). ③ In the mucosa of intestinal metaplasia, the coexpression positive rate of CDX-2 protein expression in nucleus with LI-cadherin protein in cytoplasm or membrane was 83.0% (44/53), while the coexpression positive rate was 67.6% (25/37) in gastric adenocarcinoma. Although b tendency between CDX-2 and LI-cadherin protein expression was showed, it was not confirmed by the correlation analysis (r=238， P=0.115). ConclusionsThe abnormal expressions of CDX-2 and LI-cadherin may be involved in the development and progress of intestinal metaplasia and gastric adenocarcinoma, respectively, and further studies are needed to determine if they have synergistic effect.