P4HA1 expression and function in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

This study aimed to explore the effect of P4HA1 (prolyl 4-hydroxylase subunit α1) and its ratio on the prognosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. The expression data of P4HA1 in esophageal cancer in The Cancer Genome Atlas and Genotype-Tissue Expression were collected using the public database gene expression profiling interactive analysis. The expression levels of P4HA1 were examined by immunohistochemistry. The relationship between P4HA1 expression and clinicopathological parameters was analyzed the χ2 test. Survival analysis was performed to investigate the effect of P4HA1 and its ratio on prognosis. Compared with normal esophageal mucosal epithelium, there was higher P4HA1 gene mRNA in esophageal cancer tissue. Regarding the expression level, no significant difference was observed in patients with stage I-IV esophageal cancer. Immunohistochemistry showed that P4HA1 was highly expressed in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (68.7%), while it was negatively expressed in paracancerous tissues. There was a significant difference in expression between cancer and adjacent tissues. The expression of P4HA1 associated with the degree of tumor differentiation, site, lymph node metastasis, and tumor node metastasis stage. The prognostic factors that affected the OS (overall survival) of esophageal cancer patients were the degree of differentiation, lymph node metastasis, and P4HA1 expression. Multivariate analysis of the OS results of patients showed that lymph node metastases and P4HA1 expression were independent prognostic factors that affected the OS of esophageal cancer patients. The prognostic factors affecting the PFS (progression-free survival) of esophageal cancer patients in the univariate survival analysis were as follows: degree of differentiation, lymph node metastasis, and P4HA1 expression. In addition, multivariate analysis of the PFS results of patients showed that lymph node metastasis and P4HA1 expression were independent prognostic factors that affected the PFS of esophageal cancer patients. P4HA1 may be a novel potential biomarker for the early diagnosis, prognosis, and targeted therapy of esophageal cancer.