Objectives. To analyze the expressions of the protein and mRNA of Eph A2 and Ep hrinA-1 in squamous cell cervical carcinomas and explore their prognostic value in cervical carcinoma. Methods. Immunohistochemistry was used to assess the pro tein expressions of EphA2 and EphrinA-1 in 206 patients with squamous cervical carcinoma FIGO stage Ia-IVb. Frozen tissues from 20 cases in which the tumors s howed variable EphA2 and EphrinA-1protein expressions were used for laser captu re microdissection (LCM). About 50 cancer cells in each frozen section were capt ured with the LCM method and processed for RT-PCR detection of EphA2 and Ephrin A-1 mRNA. Results. Among the 206 squamous cervical carcinomas, 23 (11.2%) show ed negative, 94(45.6%) weakly positive, 72 (35.0%)moderately positive,and 17 ( 8.3%) strongly positive for EphA2 immunostaining. For EphrinA-1 protein expres sion, 17 tumors (8.3%) showed negative, 95 (46.1%)weakly positive, 71(34.5%) moderately positive, and 23 (11.2%) strongly positive. EphA2 and EphrinA-1 oft en colocalized in the same tumor areas and vascular endothelial cells. Variable amount of mRNA expressions of EphA2 and EphrinA-1 were observed in the 20 tumor s analyzed. There was no significant correlation between the overexpressions of EphA2/EphrinA-1 and age and FIGO stage. High level of EphA2 was significantly a ssociated with overall survival in univariate and multivariate analysis. Moderat e to high EphrinA-1 protein expression was significantly associated with overal l survival in multivariate analysis. The combined high level of expression of Eh pA2 and moderate to high level of expression of EphrinA-1 was a strong predicto r of overall survival. Conclusions. High levels of EphA2 together with moderate to high level of EphrinA-1 protein expressions in squamous cervical carcinoma w ere predictive for a shorter overall survival and these proteins may be valuable prognostic markers.
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