Expression of Fas Ligand Contributes to Formation of Immune Escape in Esophageal Carcinoma

Study the role of Fas ligand (FasL) expression in carcinogenesis and progression of esophageal cancer and molecular mechanisms of relevant immune escape. FasL expression was studied in adjacent epithelial cells, cancer cells and lymphocytes of primary foci, and cancer cells of metastatic foci from 40 cases of esophageal cancer by immunohistochemistry. The relationship between FasL expression in cancer cells and T infiltrating lymphocytes of primary foci was investigated. Positive expression of fas-L genes was detected in 34 HEC cases (85%, 34/40). Positive expression of fas-L genes was detected in 31 T infiltrating lymphocytes of primary foci (82.5%, 31/40). Positive expression of fas-L genes was detected in 17 cancer cells of metastases (100%, 17/17). Up-regulated expression of FasL a in cancer cells of primary foci play an important role in esophageal carcinogenesis. As an effective marker to reveal the biological behaviors, FasL is implicated in metastasis of esophageal cancer by inducing apoptosis of infiltrating lymphocytes.