Expression and Significance of HIF-2α and Caspase-3 in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Abstract:Objective To explore the expression and clinical significance of HIF-2α and Caspase-3 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC). Methods The expression of HIF-2α and Caspase-3 protein were examined by immunochemistry in 46 samples of NPC and 20 samples of chronic nasopharynxitis. Results The expression of HIF-2α protein in NPC was higher than that in chronic nasopharynxitis while Caspase-3 protein was opposite (P<0.05). No statistical significance were observed between the expression of HIF-2α protein and patients gender，age，clinical staging and lymph node metastasis (P>0.05). There were significant statistical correlations between overexpression of HIF-2α protein and T stage. The expression of Caspase-3 was not significantly correlated with patients gender, age, T stage, clinical staging, and lymph node metastasis (P>0.05). There was no correlation between the expression of HIF-2α protein and Caspase-3 protein expression in NPC(r=-0.195，P>0.05). Conclusion The anomalous expression of HIF-2α and Caspase-3 may be associated with the carcinogenesis and development of NPC. There was significant correlation between the higher expression of HIF-2α protein and the malignant progression of NPC.