LRIG-1 provides a novel prognostic predictor in squamous cell carcinoma of the skin: immunohistochemical analysis for 38 cases.
BACKGROUND
The LRIG-1 gene (formerly LIG-1) encodes a type 1 transmembrane glycoprotein with an extracellular region of 15 leucine-rich repeats and 3 immunoglobulin-like domains. LRIG-1 interacts with ErbB receptors, down-regulating the downstream signals. Because ErbB signaling is disrupted in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), we examined LRIG-1 expression in cutaneous SCC.


OBJECTIVE
To analyze the differential expression of LRIG-1 and to investigate whether LRIG-1 is useful as a prognostic indicator in SCC of the skin.


METHODS
LRIG-1 expression in 38 cases of cutaneous SCC patients was examined by immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
LRIG-1 expression was highest in well-differentiated lesions of cutaneous SCC. The cases studied here were categorized into 23 cases (60.5%) of high expression and 15 cases (39.5%) of low expression of LRIG-1. There was a significant correlation (p = .000018) of LRIG-1 expression intensity of tumor cells with histologic differentiation of SCC. Furthermore, we found a significant inverse correlation with metastatic rate (p = .02). When the overall survival of SCC patients was statistically compared between high and low LRIG-1 expression groups, a significant survival benefit for the patients in the former group was found (p = .03).


CONCLUSIONS
LRIG-1 expression is an excellent candidate for a prognostic indicator of cutaneous SCC.
Tanemura
Atsushi
A
Department of Dermatology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.
Nagasawa
Tomohiko
T
Inui
Shigeki
S
Itami
Satoshi
S
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018196:Carcinoma, Adenosquamous / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000378:metabolism; D011379:Prognosis; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology
C484445:LRIG1 protein, human; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins