Nuclear localisation of glutathione S-transferase pi is an evaluation factor for drug resistance in gynaecological cancers.
OBJECTIVE
Nuclear glutathione S-transferase pi (GST7pi) has been reported to protect cancer cells against anticancer drugs. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical significance of nuclear GSTpi in gynaecological cancer.


METHODS
We carried out an immunohistochemical analysis of GSTpi, and examined the correlation between nuclear GSTpi: expression and prognosis in 43 epithelial ovarian cancers. We compared expression levels before and after chemotherapy in uterine cervical cancers and endometrial cancers.


RESULTS
The 5-year progression-free survival rate of the nuclear GSTpi-positive group was lower than that of the cytoplasmic GSTpi-positive group, and was significantly lower than that of the negative group (14.3% vs 34.8% vs 66.7%; P = 0.041). The expression of nuclear GSTpi was compared before and after chemotherapy in uterine cervical and endometrial cancers. In eight out of 12 cases (66.7%), the expression turned positive after the chemotherapy.


CONCLUSIONS
We suggest that nuclear localisation of GSTpi is associated with drug resistance. The nuclear localisation of GSTpi in tumour cells is a useful prognosticator, and may contribute to the selection of anticancer drugs for gynaecological cancers.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1-7-1 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8501, Japan. gobaru@d7.dion.ne.jp
Y
Y
Soh
S
S
Goto
M
M
Kitajima
S
S
Moriyama
K
K
Kotera
T
T
Nakayama
H
H
Nakajima
T
T
Kondo
T
T
Ishimaru
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000201:enzymology; D002945:Cisplatin / Q000494:pharmacology; D018450:Disease Progression; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D005982:Glutathione Transferase; D002945:Cisplatin