Studies on correlation between S100A4 expression and biological behavior and prognosis of gastric cancer / 解放军医学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the expression of S100A4 in gastric cancer and normal gastric tissue, and analyze its correlation with the clinico-pathological features and prognosis of gastric cancer. Methods Real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (real time qRT-PCR) was used to detect the S100A4 expression in 20 fresh surgical samples of gastric cancer and normal gastric tissue as controls. The microarray of gastric cancer tissue was established for the analysis of the S100A4 expression immunohistochemically in 208 gastric cancer tissue and isogeneic normal gastric mucosa and lymph node with metastasis. Results The S100A4 expression was increased in 55% (11/20) of gastric cancer samples with an average of 2.31 fold up-regulation of that of the normal mucosa. Patients with lymph node metastasis showed a higher percentage of elevated S100A4 transcription than those without metastasis (P=0.024). As displayed by immunohistochemistry, the positive rate of S100A4 in non-neoplastic mucosa, primary tumor and lymph node with metastasis was 9.4%, 28.1% and 32.2%, respectively (P≤0.01). A higher percentage of elevated S100A4 expression was shown in patients in advanced stage than in patients in early stage (P=0.004). In primary tumor lesions, the S100A4 expression correlated significantly with the depth of invasion (P=0.003) and poorer prognosis (P=0.034). S100A4 expression in lymph node with metastasis was also associated with poor outcome (P=0.002). Multifactorial Cox's regression analysis showed that TNM stage (P=0.029) and the expression levels of S100A4 (P=0.024) in lymph node were independent influence factors for prognosis. Conclusions Expression of S100A4 may be a late event which is associated with the progression and prognosis of gastric cancer. The analysis of S100A4 expression in lymph-node metastasis is helpful in judging the prognosis of gastric cancer.