目的：探讨葡萄糖调节蛋白78（glucoseregulated proteins 78，GRP78）在食管鳞状细胞癌组织及正常鳞状上皮组织中的表达情况，并分析其与临床病理特征的关系。方法: 取自2007年10月至2008年11月在山东大学附属济南中心医院胸外科手术切除的新鲜食管鳞状细胞癌标本59例及距癌组织5 cm以上的手术远端切缘的正常食管鳞状上皮组织20例，RTPCR检测GRP78 mRNA的表达，应用Western blotting检测GRP78蛋白的表达，并从mRNA和蛋白水平分析GRP78的表达与患者性别、肿瘤长度、浸润深度、分化程度、病理分期及淋巴转移等临床病理特征之间的关系。结果：食管鳞状细胞癌组织中GRP78的表达在mRNA和蛋白水平均明显高于食管正常鳞状上皮组织（均P<0.01）。GRP78在食管鳞状细胞癌组织中的高表达与食管鳞状细胞癌的浸润深度（P<0.05或P<0.01）、分化程度（P<0.05或P<0.01）、病理分期（pTMN， P<0.01）及淋巴转移密切相关（P<0.01），而与患者性别及肿瘤长径无关（P>0.05）。结论: GRP78参与了人类食管鳞状细胞癌的发生、发展，表达水平随着食管鳞状细胞癌组织恶性程度的增高而增高，其可作为衡量食管鳞状细胞癌恶性程度的一种有潜在价值的分子标志物。

Objective:To investigate the expression of glucoseregulated protein 78 in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and normal esophageal tissues, and to evaluate its correlation with clinical pathological characteristics of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Methods: Fiftynine specimens of human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and twenty adjacent normal specimens were collected from the patients who received operation for esophageal squamous cell carcinomas in our Hospital between Oct. 2007 and Nov. 2008. GRP78 mRNA and GRP78 protein expressions were examined by RTPCR assay and Western blotting, respectively. The relationship between GRP78 expression with clinical parameters of patients, such as gender, length of tumor, tumor infiltration depth, tumor differentiation grade stage, and lymphatic metastasis, was analyzed. Results: GRP78 mRNA and GRP78 protein expression levels in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were significantly higher than those in the normal esophageal tissues (all P<0.01). GRP78 expression in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissues was correlated with the infiltration depth, grade of differentiation(P<0.05 or P<0.01), stage of tumors (P<0.01), and lymphatic metastasis (all P<0.01), but not with gender or the length of tumor (P>0.05). Conclusion: GRP78 participates in the development, progress of esophageal squamous cell carcinomas, and its expression is positively associated with the malignancy of carcinoma. GRP78 may be taken as a potential biomarker in evaluating the malignancy of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.