Expression and significance of L1 cell adhesion molecule and transforming growth factor-β1 in pancreatic cancer tissue / 临床肝胆病杂志

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo investigate the expression of L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1CAM) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGFβ1) in pancreatic cancer tissue and their association with the prognosis of pancreatic cancer. MethodsHistological specimens were collected from 125 patients with pancreatic cancer who underwent surgical resection in The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, and Wuming Hospital of Guangxi Medical University from January 2015 to January 2018. Immunohistochemistry was used to measure the expression of L1CAM and TGFβ1 in all specimens, and the association of the expression of L1CAM and TGFβ1 with clinical indices, survival, and prognosis was analyzed. The t-test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups, and the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups; the Cox proportional-hazards regression model was used to investigate the influencing factors for the survival of patients with pancreatic cancer; the Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to evaluate the survival of patients with different expression levels of L1CAM and TGFβ1. ResultsThe high protein expression rate of L1CAM in pancreatic cancer tissue was significantly higher than that in adjacent tissue (75.20% vs 20.00%, χ2=76.352, P＜0.001). The high protein expression rate of TGFβ1 in pancreatic cancer tissue was significantly higher than that in adjacent tissue (8160% vs 23.20%, χ2=85.461, P＜0.001). The protein expression of L1CAM was positively correlated with that of TGFβ1 in pancreatic cancer (r=0.492, P＜0.001). The protein expression of L1CAM and TGFβ1 were associated with tumor size, degree of tumor differentiation, TNM stage, lymph node metastasis, intravascular tumor thrombus, and perineural invasion (all P＜0.05). The patients with high protein expression of L1CAM or TGFβ1 had a significantly lower overall survival rate than those with low expression (χ2=54661 and 39597, both P＜0.001). ConclusionL1CAM and TGFβ1 proteins are highly expressed in pancreatic cancer tissue and may be associated with poor prognosis by promoting lymphatic metastasis and hematogenous metastasis. L1CAM and TGFβ1 proteins play an important role in the development, progression, and metastasis of pancreatic cancer.