ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To detect the expression of survivin in esophageal cancer and elucidate its function in esophageal cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Expression of surviv in was detected in paired normal and tumor tissues from patients with esophageal cancer by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. A dominant-negative survivin (surT34A) was transfected into esophageal cancer EC9706 cells (EC9706surT34A). Colony formation and apoptosis of the parental and surT34A-transfected EC9706 cells were examined in soft agar and by flow cytometry, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Survivin mRNA expression of tumor tissues was higher than normal tissues in 18/27 (66.7%) samples. The expression level of survivin mRNA in tumor tissues (2.08 +/- 1.32) was significantly higher than that in normal tissues (1.22 +/- 1.09). EC9706 surT34A cells formed fewer colonies on agar than the non-transfected ones. After serum withdrawal, EC9706surT34A had higher apoptotic ratio than control, but survivin could reduce the apoptotic ratio.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Overexpression of survivin is a common eventin esophageal cancer. The dominant-negative survivin can partially inhibit the malignant phenotype of esophageal cancer.</p>