Decreased expression of Neurensin-2 correlates with poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM： To investigate the expression of Neurensin-2 （NRSN2） in hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） and its prognostic values in predicting survival. METHODS： The expression and prognostic significance of NRSN2 in HCC was examined by performing immunohistochemical analysis using a total of 110 HCC clinical tissue samples, and Western blotting analysis to further confirm the result. RESULTS： Decreased NRSN2 expression was shown in 70.9% cases. Loss of NRSN2 expression in HCC was significantly related to tumor size （P = 0.006）. Larger tumor size was related to negative expression of NRSN2. Patients showing negative NRSN2 expression had a significantly shorter overall survival than those with positive expression （P = 0.008）. Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that NRSN2 expression level was an independent factor of survival （P = 0.013）. Western blotting analysis further confirmed decreased expression of NRSN2 in tumor tissues compared with non-tumorous tissues. CONCLUSION： Our study indicated that NRSIV2 could be a tumor suppressor gene for HCC and a candidate biomarker for long-term survival in HCC.

Overexpression of lysine specific demethylase 1 predicts worse prognosis in primary hepatocellular carcinoma patients

AIM:To investigate the clinicopathological features and prognostic value of lysine specific demethylase 1(LSD1) in hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).METHODS:We examined LSD1 expression in 60 paired liver cancer tissues and adjacent noncancerous tissues by quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR) and Western blotting.In addition,we analyzed LSD1 expression in 198 HCC samples by immunohistochemistry.The relationship between LSD1 expression,clinicopathological features and patient survival was investigated.RESULTS:Immunohistochemistry,Western blotting,and qRT-PCR consistently confirmed LSD1 overexpression in HCC tissues compared to adjacent non-neoplastic tissues(P < 0.01).Additionally,immunostaining showed more LSD1-positive cells in the higher tumor stage(T3-4) and tumor grade(G3) than in the lower tumor stage(T1-2,P < 0.001) and tumor grade(G1-2,P < 0.001),respectively.Moreover,HCC patients with high LSD1 expression had significantly lower 5-year overall survival rates(P < 0.001) and lower 5-year disease-free survival rates(P < 0.001),respectively.A Cox proportional hazards model further demonstrated that LSD1 over-expression was an independent predictor of poor prognosis for both 5-year disease-free survival [hazards ratio(HR) = 1.426,95%CI:0.672-2.146,P < 0.001] and 5-year overall survival(HR = 2.456,95%CI:1.234-3.932,P < 0.001) in HCC.CONCLUSION:Our data suggest for the first time that the overexpression of LSD1 protein in HCC tissues indicates tumor progression and predicts poor prognosis.

Krüppel样因子4蛋白在食管鳞状细胞癌中的表达和意义

目的检测Krtippel样因子4（KLF4）蛋白在食管鳞状细胞癌组织中的表达，初步探讨其与临床病理特征和患者预后间的关系。方法采用免疫组织化学法，在98例临床、病理、随访资料皆完整的胸段食管鳞状细胞癌患者术后石蜡切片中检测癌组织和正常食管黏膜组织KLF4蛋白的表达情况。采用Western印迹法，在20例食管鳞状细胞癌患者的新鲜手术组织标本中检测癌组织和正常食管黏膜组织KLF4蛋白的表达水平。分析KLF4蛋白表达与临床病理特征和患者预后的关系。计量资料行t检验，KLF4蛋白表达与临床病理特征的关系行卡方检验，生存分析行Kaplan—Meier曲线法检验，生存率比较行Log—rank检验。结果KLF4蛋白在正常食管黏膜组织和食管鳞状细胞癌组织中的阳性表达率分别为82．7％（81／98）和43．9％（43／98），差异有统计学意义（x2=31．701，P（0．01）。20份新鲜食管鳞状细胞癌组织和正常食管黏膜组织中KLF4蛋白的表达水平分别为0．576±0．050和0．684士0．095，差异有统计学意义（t=4．932，P〈0．01）。食管鳞状细胞癌患者KLF4蛋白的表达情况与肿瘤淋巴结转移和TNM分期有关（x2=10．871和6．482，P=0．001和0．039），与性别、年龄、部位、肿瘤最大径、分化程度、浸润深度无关（x2=0．214、3．442、5．748、0．891、0．013、1．479，P=0．644、0．064、0．056、0．345、0．911、0．477）。98例患者中KLF4蛋白阳性和阴性表达者的5年生存率分别为48．8％和25．5％，中位生存时间分别为55和26个月，差异均有统计学意义（x2=5．747和4．493，P=0．017和0．034）。结论KLF4可能作为一种抑癌基因对食管鳞状细胞癌发生、发展、转移起到重要的作用，有可能成为反映食管鳞状细胞癌病情严重程度和判断患者预后的生物学指标。