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. 2012 Aug;93(1):147-53.
doi: 10.1016/j.yexmp.2012.04.018. Epub 2012 Apr 21.

Vitamin D receptor expression and neoadjuvant therapy in esophageal adenocarcinoma

Ryan Trowbridge  1 , Poonam Sharma, William J Hunter, Devendra K Agrawal
Affiliations

Vitamin D receptor expression and neoadjuvant therapy in esophageal adenocarcinoma

Ryan Trowbridge et al. Exp Mol Pathol. 2012 Aug.

Abstract

Esophageal adenocarcinoma carries a poor prognosis. Tumor response to neoadjuvant therapy is a key prognostic factor in patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagus, but is inconsistent. Identifying tumor characteristics that portend a favorable response to neoadjuvant therapy would be a valuable clinical tool. The anticancer actions of vitamin D and its receptor may have implications. In this study, 15 biopsy specimens were procured retrospectively from patients being treated for adenocarcinoma of the esophagus. The tissue was immunostained for the vitamin D receptor and compared on the basis of response to neoadjuvant therapy. Tumors that did not respond to neoadjuvant therapy had greater expression of VDR than tumors that responded completely. Expression of VDR declined with tumor de-differentiation. The data suggest that a relationship between vitamin D receptor expression and response to neoadjuvant therapy is plausible.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Representative micrographs of the specimen that fluoresced most intensely (specimen 1) and least intensely (specimen 15) at 40× objective. Both specimens were moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma. Specimen 1 (A-C) was a non-responder and specimen 15 (D-F) from a complete responder. Images A and D are H&E. Images B and E are an overlay of VDR immunofluorescence and DAPI (nuclear counterstain). Images C and F are VDR immunofluorescence without DAPI.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Immunofluorescence analysis in specimens from the non-responders group and are moderately differentiated esophageal adenocarcinomas. Specimen 2 (A-C) displayed the second strongest intensity in the non-responders group. Specimen 9 (D-F) displayed the lowest intensity in the non-responders group. Images A and D are H&E. Images B and E are an overlay of VDR immunofluorescence and DAPI (nuclear counterstain). Images C and F are VDR immunofluorescence without DAPI.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Imunofluorescence analysis of tissue specimens from the complete responders group. Specimen 11 (A-C) is a moderately differentiated esophageal adenocarcinoma and displayed the second strongest intensity in complete responders group. Specimen 14 (D-F) is a poorly differentiated esophageal adenocarcinoma and displayed the second lowest intensity in the complete responders group. Images A and D are H&E. Images B and E are an overlay of VDR immunofluorescence and DAPI (nuclear counterstain). Images C and F are VDR immunofluorescence without DAPI.
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