The low expression of CD80 correlated with the vascular endothelial growth factor in esophageal cancer tissue

AimsTo analyze the mRNA and protein expression of CD80 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in esophageal cancer (EC) tissue, investigate the causes of esophageal cancer cell escape from immune surveillance.MethodsWe detected the CD80 and VEGF mRNA with reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), CD80 protein with flow cytometry, VEGF protein with immunohistochemistry in the cancer tissues in 118 EC patients, and the normal esophageal tissue as controls.ResultsThe expression of CD80 mRNA and protein in cancer tissues were lower than that in the controls (p < 0.01, respectively), The CD80 protein expression in poor differentiation was lower than that in the well and moderate (P < 0.01), in the patients with lymph node metastasis lower than that with no metastasis (P = 0.01), in stage IIIA patients lower than that in stages I and II patients (P = 0.04); the VEGF mRNA and protein expression were just right opposite. The mean survival time in the CD80 positive group was significantly longer than that in the negative (p = 0.041); while in VEGF positive group was lower than that in the negative (p = 0.046). The CD80 expression of mRNA and protein were correlated negatively with VEGF in the cancer tissues (r = −0.82, −0.87, respectively).ConclusionIt is suggested that CD80 was impaired in the EC tissues and correlated with the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis, which indicated the dysfunction of immune system and enhancing the progression of EC. The low expression of CD80 correlated with the overexpression of VEGF.