Expression of cellular FLICE/caspase-8 inhibitory protein is associated with malignant potential in endometrial carcinoma.
This study aimed to investigate the expression of cellular Fas-associated death domain-like interleukin-1beta-converting enzyme (FLICE)/caspase-8 inhibitory protein (c-FLIP) in endometrial carcinoma and its possible implications. c-FLIP protein was detected in 42 endometrial carcinoma tissues and in 22 normal proliferative endometrial tissues by immunohistochemistry. In addition, c-FLIP messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) was evaluated in 20 endometrial carcinomas and in 18 normal proliferative endometria by semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) using SYBR Green I(TM). The relationship between c-FLIP protein level and tumor cell proliferation and that between c-FLIP protein level and clinicopathologic parameters of patients with endometrial carcinoma was analyzed. c-FLIP protein expression was significantly higher in neoplastic tissues than in normal tissues (P < 0.01), and similar result was obtained from RT-PCR analysis of c-FLIP mRNA (P < 0.01). Furthermore, c-FLIP protein was significantly associated with proliferating cell nuclear antigen-labeling index (P < 0.01), clinical stage (P < 0.05), the presence of invasion to > 1/2 myometrium (P < 0.05), and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.01). Multivariate analysis of variance also confirmed the association of c-FLIP with clinical stage (P < 0.05) and with lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05), while its association with myometrial invasion was marginal (P = 0.059). It is concluded that c-FLIP might contribute to the carcinogenesis and aggressiveness of endometrial carcinoma and might be a useful prognostic factor in the tumor.
Chen
H-X
HX
Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
Liu
Y-J
YJ
Zhou
X-D
XD
Luo
R-Y
RY
D000328:Adult; D053446:CASP8 and FADD-Like Apoptosis Regulating Protein; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D011379:Prognosis; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016019:Survival Analysis
D053446:CASP8 and FADD-Like Apoptosis Regulating Protein; C506386:CFLAR protein, human; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D012333:RNA, Messenger