ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the expression of annexin II in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and its relation with clinicopathological data.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expression of annexin II mRNA and protein in paired cancer tissues and their adjacent quasi-normal tissues were detected by RT-PCR, immunohistochemical method and densitometric scanning. The relation between annexin II expression and the status of tumor differentiation was analyzed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The expression of annexin II was significantly lower in the tumor tissue than that in its paired normal counterpart both in mRNA and protein level (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The protein expression of annexin II was significantly lower in moderately and poorly differentiated tumors than those in well differentiated ones (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Down-regulation of annexin II in esophageal carcinogenesis may play an important role in squamous cell differentiation.</p>