Vitamin D receptor (VDR) expression is not a prognostic factor in cervical cancer.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to analyze whether VDR status is a prognostic factor that may be of importance for the assessment of recurrence in cervical cancer.


METHODS
VDR-, Ki-67- and p53-status were analyzed immunohistochemically in cervical cancer patients (n=50) and in benign cervical tissue (n=15). The histopathological data of the tumours were evaluated. RNA was extracted from normal cervical tissue (n=4) and cervical carcinomas (n=8) using the method of Chomczynski. RNA was reverse-transcribed and RNA-levels were semiquantitatively detected by PCR.


RESULTS
The expression of VDR was significantly increased in cervical cancer compared to normal cervical tissue on the protein-level but not on the RNA-level. No statistically significant correlations were found comparing VDR status with histopathological data (tumour stage, lymph node status, grading, histological tumour type), with the expression of the proliferation marker Ki-67 and of the tumour suppressor gene p53.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings indicate that VDR protein expression is not a prognostic factor in cervical cancer. The strong I/DR immunoreactivity that we observed in cervical cancer specimens supports the body of evidence that cervical cancer may be a target for therapeutically applied vitamin D analogues.
Friedrich
Michael
M
Department of Gynecology, University Hospital of Saarland, Homburg/Saar, Germany. friedrichmichael@hotmail.com
Meyberg
Roland
R
Axt-Fliedner
Roland
R
Villena-Heinsen
Carlos
C
Tilgen
Wolfgang
W
Schmidt
Werner
W
Reichrath
Jörg
J
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D016158:Genes, p53; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018167:Receptors, Calcitriol; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53