Klotho Expression in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma and Its Association With beta-Catenin and Disease Progression

the tumors are positive for squamous cell markers, columnar cell markers, and SCJ specific markers such as KRT7 and MUC4.Evaluation of putative cancer stem cell markers shows these tumors are positive for SOX2, SOX9, CD44, but negative for DCAMKL-1, Lrig-1, and Lgr5.In addition, cytokine expression such as TNFa, IL-1b, and IL-11 was significantly elevated in the tumors compared to non-transformed forestomach and grandular stomach.When cultured in matrigel with R-spondin and Wnt1, mJT1 and mJT4 cells grow into organoid like cystic structure with typical crypt appearance.IHC for normal mice shows small area in SCJ positive for KRT19, CD44, and SOX9.Lineage tracing of K19YFP mice shows TAM injection induces YFP positive cells at columnar cells of SCJ.Conclusion; SCJ of mouse stomach contains cells which grow into squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma in genetically modified condition.These cells may represent a stem cell population of Barrett esophagus as well as SCJ cancer.