Urokinase-type plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 as a prognostic factor in human colorectal carcinomas.
OBJECTIVE
The urokinase pathway of plasminogen activation is known to be involved in proteolytic degradation of the extracellular matrix during carcinoma invasion.


METHODS
We immunohistochemically examined 97 colorectal carcinomas for the expression of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) to investigate whether uPA and PAI-1 expressions could serve as prognostic parameters; the gene expression of uPA and PAI-1 in human colon cancer tissues was also analyzed using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).


RESULTS
The relative expression levels of uPA and PAI-1 mRNAs were well correlated with immunoreactivities of uPA and PAI-1, respectively (p < 0.05). In immunohistochemical staining, diffuse specific staining was observed in the cytoplasm of carcinoma cells. uPA expression was detected in 57 carcinoma specimens (58.8%) and PAI-1 expression was detected in 36 specimens (37.1%). With regard to 5-year overall survival rate, patients whose tumors had positive uPA and negative PAI-1 immunoreactivities had a significantly poorer prognosis (p < 0.05). In multivariate analysis, the combined variable of uPA and PAI-1 was shown to be an independent prognostic indicator.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that immunohistochemical combined analysis of uPA and PAI-1 may be a useful prognostic factor in colorectal carcinoma patients.
Fujii
T
T
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Asahikawa Medical College, Japan.
Obara
T
T
Tanno
S
S
Ura
H
H
Kohgo
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1 / Q000032:analysis*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase; D015996:Survival Rate; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator / Q000032:analysis*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D017395:Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1; D012194:RNA-Directed DNA Polymerase; D014568:Urokinase-Type Plasminogen Activator