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Clinicopathologic Correlations of E-cadherin and Prrx-1 Expression Loss in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Developing predictive markers for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is important, because many patients experience recurrence and metastasis. Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a developmental process that plays an important role during embryogenesis and also during cancer metast...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Yi, Kijong, Kim, Hyunsung, Chung, Yumin, Ahn, Hyein, Sim, Jongmin, Wi, Young Chan, Pyo, Ju Yeon, Song, Young-Soo, Paik, Seung Sam, Oh, Young-Ha
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: The Korean Society of Pathologists and the Korean Society for Cytopathology 2016
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5042901/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27580127
http://dx.doi.org/10.4132/jptm.2016.06.22
Descripción
Sumario:BACKGROUND: Developing predictive markers for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is important, because many patients experience recurrence and metastasis. Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a developmental process that plays an important role during embryogenesis and also during cancer metastasis. Paired-related homeobox protein 1 (Prrx-1) is an EMT inducer that has recently been introduced, and its prognostic significance in HCC is largely unknown. METHODS: Tissue microarray was constructed using surgically resected primary HCCs from 244 cases. Immunohistochemical staining of E-cadherin and Prrx-1 was performed. The correlation between E-cadherin loss and Prrx-1 expression, as well as other clinicopathologic factors, was evaluated. RESULTS: E-cadherin expression was decreased in 96 cases (39.4%). Loss of E-cadherin correlated with a higher recurrence rate (p < .001) but was not correlated with patient’s survival. Thirty-two cases (13.3%) showed at least focal nuclear Prrx-1 immunoreactivity while all non-neoplastic livers (n = 22) were negative. Prrx-1 expression was not associated with E-cadherin loss, survival or recurrence rates, pathologic factors, or the Ki-67 labeling index. Twenty tumors that were positive for E-cadherin and Prrx-1 had significantly higher nuclear grades than the rest of the cohort (p = .037). In Cox proportional hazard models, E-cadherin loss and large vessel invasion were independent prognostic factors for shorter disease-free survival. Cirrhosis and high Ki-67 index (> 40%) were independent prognostic factors for shorter overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: Prrx-1 was expressed in small portions of HCCs but not in normal livers. Additional studies with a large number of Prrx-1-positive cases are required to confirm the results of this study.