Expression of phosphatase and tensin homology deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) and FasL proteins and their significance in human small cell lung cancer / 中国肺癌杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>BACKGROUND</b>To investigate the expression of phosphatase and tensin homology deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) and FasL proteins and their correlation in human small cell lung cancer (SCLC).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Expression of PTEN and FasL proteins was examined in forty-two paraffin-embedded SCLC samples and sixteen pulmonary benign disease tissues by SP immunohistochemical technique.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Loss rate of PTEN protein in 42 SCLC tissues (73.8%) was significantly higher than that in 16 pulmonary benign disease tissues (0%) (P < 0.01). The loss of PTEN protein was related to TNM stages (P < 0.01), but not to cellular subtype and sex and age of patients (P > 0.05). FasL expression rate in 42 SCLC tissues (50.0%) was remarkably higher than that in 16 pulmonary benign disease tissues (12.5%) (P < 0.05). The expression level of FasL in PTEN-positive SCLC tissues was significantly lower than that in PTEN-negative SCLC tissues (P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Loss of PTEN expression may play a role in the occurrence and development of SCLC. There is an up-regulated expression of FasL protein in SCLC. The deletion of PTEN protein may be related to the high expression of FasL protein.</p>