Expression of Livin in esophageal carcinoma and its correlation with Bcl-2

Objective: To study the expression of Livin and its relationship with expression of p53 in esophageal carcinoma. Methods: Immunohistochemical S-P method was used to detect the expression of Livin and p53 proteins in 36 esophageal carcinoma tissues and 18 para-cancerous tissues.Results: Livin protein was expressed in 18 of 36 esophageal carcinoma tissues(50.0%),but Livin protein showed low levels in para-cancerous tissues(5.6%,P0.01).Livin protein expression was positively related to lymph node metastasis and infiltration degree of esophageal carcinoma(P0.05).However,Livin protein expression was not associated with the different histological grade(P0.05).p53 protein was expressed in 25 of 36(69.4%) esophageal carcinoma tissues,but there was no p53 protein expression in para-cancerous tissues(P0.01).Livin protein expression was not positively related to p53 protein expression in esophageal carcinoma tissues(P0.05).Conclusion: Aberrant expression of Livin may be a new target for diagnosis,porgnosis assessment and gene treatment of esophageal carcinoma.The aberrant expression of Livin and inhibitting carcinoma gene p53 may not play synergetic roles in process of carcinogenesis of esophageal carcinoma.