Esophageal cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide. Its mortality is very high due to relatively late diagnosis and inefficient treatment. The ability to reverse the outcome of esophageal cancer is limited due to a poor understanding of its biology. Progression of esophageal cancer may be associated with sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) and its receptors S1P1-5, which play an important role in other cancers. A possible role for S1P and its receptors in human esophageal cells has not previously been investigated, nor has the importance of S1P and its receptors in esophageal cancer growth and metastasis been addressed.

Using semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, gene transfection, MTT assay and transwell migration assay, a research team from China investigated S1P receptor expression profile in human esophageal cancer cells and the effects of S1P5 on proliferation and migration. Their study will be published on April 21, 2010 in the World Journal of Gastroenterology.

They found S1P binding to S1P5 inhibits the proliferation and migration of S1P5-transfected Eca109 cells.

Their results indicated that deficiency in inhibitory effect of S1P-S1P5 may be of importance in the growth and metastasis of esophageal cancer. S1P5 or its associated signaling molecules may serve as a future strategy in biotherapy for esophageal cancer.

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Reference
Hu WM, Li L, Jing BQ, Zhao YS, Wang CL, Feng L, Xie YE. Effect of S1P5 on proliferation and migration of human esophageal cancer cells. World J Gastroenterol 2010; 16(15):1859-1866

Correspondence to
Wei-Min Hu, Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, North Sichuan Medical College, Fujiang Road No. 234, Nanchong 637007, Sichuan Province, China. .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Telephone: +86-817-2134039 Fax: +86-817-3352000

About World Journal of Gastroenterology

World Journal of Gastroenterology (WJG), a leading international journal in gastroenterology and hepatology, has established a reputation for publishing first class research on esophageal cancer, gastric cancer, liver cancer, viral hepatitis, colorectal cancer, and H. pylori infection and provides a forum for both clinicians and scientists. WJG has been indexed and abstracted in Current Contents/Clinical Medicine, Science Citation Index Expanded (also known as SciSearch) and Journal Citation Reports/Science Edition, Index Medicus, MEDLINE and PubMed, Chemical Abstracts, EMBASE/Excerpta Medica, Abstracts Journals, Nature Clinical Practice Gastroenterology and Hepatology, CAB Abstracts and Global Health. ISI JCR 2008 IF: 2.081. WJG is a weekly journal published by WJG Press. The publication dates are the 7th, 14th, 21st, and 28th day of every month. WJG is supported by The National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 30224801 and No. 30424812, and was founded with the name of China National Journal of New Gastroenterology on October 1, 1995, and renamed WJG on January 25, 1998.

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World Journal of Gastroenterology