ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Protein 4.1, a component of cell membrane skeleton, plays a role in maintaining the shape and mechanical stability of erythrocytes. Recent researches showed that protein 4.1 may be associated with the development of tumors. This study was to investigate the expression and significance of membrane skeleton protein 4.1 family members (4.1B, 4.1R, 4.1N and 4.1G) in human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS: The expression of proteins 4.1B, 4.1R, 4.1N and 4.1G in 147 specimens of NSCLC was detected by EnVision plus immunohistochemistry. The correlations of 4.1B, 4.1R, 4.1N and 4.1G expression to clinicopathologic features of NSCLC were analyzed by Wilcoxon rank sum test and Spearman rank correlation analysis. RESULTS: The protein levels of 4.1B, 4.1R and 4.1N were significantly lower in lung squamous cell carcinoma tissues than in adjacent normal tissues (P<0.01). The protein levels of 4.1B, 4.1R, 4.1N and 4.1G were significantly lower in lung adenocarcinoma tissues than in adjacent normal tissues (P<0.05). The protein levels of 4.1B and 4.1G were significantly lower in lung squamous cell carcinoma tissues than in lung adenocarcinoma tissues (P<0.05). Protein 4.1G expression in squamous cell carcinoma was positively correlated to tumor cell differentiation (rs=0.386,P<0.01). In adenocarcinoma, the expression of proteins 4.1B, 4.1N and 4.1G were positively correlated to tumor cell differentiation (rs=0.276, P<0.05; rs=0.248,P<0.05; rs=0.268, P <0.05). The expression of protein 4.1s in squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma were not related to lymph node metastasis, tumor size, patients'age and sex (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Protein 4.1s are weakly expressed in NSCLC tissues than in adjacent normal tissues. The expression of proteins 4.1B, 4.1N and 4.1G are related to tumor cell differentiation.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/metabolism , Cell Differentiation , Cytoskeletal Proteins/metabolism , Lung Neoplasms/metabolism , Membrane Proteins/metabolism , Adenocarcinoma/metabolism , Adenocarcinoma/pathology , Adult , Aged , Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/pathology , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/metabolism , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/pathology , Female , Humans , Lung/metabolism , Lung Neoplasms/pathology , Lymphatic Metastasis , Male , Middle Aged , Tumor BurdenABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To study the clinicopathological significance of heparanase and VEGF expression in NSCLC. METHODS: Eighty-five lung samples were studied. Each sample was divided into two parts, one used for heparanase mRNA detection by reverse transcription PCR and the other for VEGF detection by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: (1) The expressions of heparanase mRNA and VEGF were higher in NSCLC than in benign pulmonary diseases (P < 0.05). (2) The expression of heparanase mRNA was higher in cases with lymph-node invasion, metastasis, stage III and IV diseases, low-differentiation, and adenocarcinoma, as compared to cases without lymph-node invasion and metastasis, with stage I and II diseases, higher and moderate differentiation, and squamous cell cancer (P < 0.05). Its expression was higher in tumors larger than 5 cm in size (P < 0.05). (3) The expression of VEGF was higher in cases with lymph-node invasion, metastasis, and stage III and IV disease, as compared to cases without lymph-node invasion and metastasis, and with stage I and II diseases (P < 0.05). (4) There was no significant correlation between heparanase and VEGF expression (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Heparanase and VEGF are associated with NSCLC invasion and metastasis, and may be used to evaluate NSCLC metastasis status. Heparanase and VEGF promote NSCLC invasion and metastasis by independent mechanisms. Detection of these two markers may improve the sensitivity and specificity of the measurement of NSCLC metastatic potential.
