Increased survivin transcript levels: an independent negative predictor of survival in soft tissue sarcoma patients.
Survivin, a recently identified inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP), is expressed in diverse embryonic tissues and in various human cancers. We have investigated the quantitative expression of survivin mRNA by a sensitive TaqMan-based RT-PCR assay in tissue samples from 94 patients with soft tissue sarcomas (STS). Survivin transcript levels were measured and normalized to GAPDH transcripts. By using a multivariate Cox regression analysis, we found an inverse correlation between the level of survivin mRNA (ratio >2 zmol survivin/amol GAPDH) and the rate of overall survival (p = 0.009, RR = 2.7). Survivin transcript variants as detected by qualitative RT-PCR analysis were revealed in 36 of 56 STS patients (64%). Only survivin DeltaEx3 and/or full-length survivin variants but not survivin 2B were identified. Our results suggest that a higher level of survivin mRNA is an independent predictor of survival for STS patients.
Kappler
M
M
Institute of Pathology, University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany.
Köhler
T
T
Kampf
C
C
Diestelkötter
P
P
Würl
P
P
Schmitz
M
M
Bartel
F
F
Lautenschläger
C
C
Rieber
E P
EP
Schmidt
H
H
Bache
M
M
Taubert
H
H
Meye
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D008297:Male; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D012983:Soft Tissue Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D000077022:Survivin; D013997:Time Factors
C107489:BIRC5 protein, human; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000077022:Survivin