目的：检测食管鳞状细胞癌（esophageal squamous cell cancer，ESCC）患者血清中白细胞介素-6（interleukin-6，IL-6）和ESCC组织中血管内皮生长因子（vascular endothelial growth factor，VEGF）的表达及其两者关系，并研究两者表达对ESCC的临床意义。方法：收集河北医科大学第四医院胸外科于2014年1月至2015年1月期间行ESCC切除术的患者52例，每例患者均取原发灶组织和癌旁组织标本；同时在术前抽取患者外周血5 ml，再取52例健康体检者外周血5 ml为血清对照。应用ELISA法测定ESCC患者血清中IL-6的水平，免疫组化技术检测VEGF在ESCC组织中的表达，RT-PCR法检测肿瘤组织中IL-6和VEGF mRNA的表达情况。结果：ESCC患者血清IL-6表达水平为（116.71±25.98）pg/ml，明显高于健康对照组的\[（78.43±9.36）pg/ml\]（P＜0.05），血清中IL-6的表达水平与患者肿瘤分化程度、TNM分期、肿瘤浸润深度和淋巴结转移相关（P＜0.05）。肿瘤组织VEGF蛋白阳性表达率明显高于癌旁组织（67.31% vs 32.69%，P<0.01)，且与患者肿瘤分化程度、TNM分期、肿瘤浸润深度和淋巴结转移相关（P＜0.05）。肿瘤组织中IL-6 mRNA的表达与VEGF mRNA的表达呈显著正相关（r=7.113，P＜0.05）。结论：ESCC患者肿瘤组织中IL-6和VEGF均呈高表达且两者呈正相关，两者可能在ESCC侵袭和转移中发挥重要作用。

Objective:To study changes in serum levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in associations with tumor invasion and lymphatic metastasis in patients with esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC). Methods: Tumor and peri-tumor tissue specimens and peripheral blood samples were collected from 52 ESCC patients who underwent surgical resection in the Department of Chest Surgery, Hebei Medical University-Affiliated Fourth Hospital between January, 2014 and January, 2015. Blood samples were collected from 52 healthy subjects for the purpose of control. IL-6 levels in the blood samples were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). VEGF protein in the tumor and peri-tumor specimens was assessed by immunohistochemistry. IL-6 and VEGF mRNA abundance was assessed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. Results: Serum levels of IL-6 were significantly higher in ESCC patients (116.71±25.98) pg/ml than in control subjects (78.43±9.36) pg/ml (P<0.05). In ESCC patients, serum levels of IL-6 were associated to patient TNM stage, tumor invasion depth, tumor differentiation and lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). VEGF protein was detected in 67.31% of tumor specimens and the intensity of the immunoreactive protein signal was associated to TNM stage, tumor invasion depth, tumor differentiation and lymph node metastasis. Tumor tissue VEGF was associated to serum level of IL-6 (P<0.05). IL-6 and VEGF mRNA levels were positively correlated in the tumor tissue (r=7.113, P<0.05). Conclusion: IL-6 is positively correlated with VEGF in ESCC patients. This finding suggests that IL-6 and VEGF may play key roles ESCC invasion and lymph node metastasis.

国家自然科学基金资助项目（No.81201607）；河北省杰出青年科学基金资助项目（No.H2014206320）；河北省高层次人才资助项目（No.H2012206135）