Ubiquitin-specific protease 14 expression in colorectal cancer is associated with liver and lymph node metastases.
Ubiquitin-specific protease 14, also known as the 60 kDa subunit of tRNA-guanine transglycosylase (USP14/TGT60 kD), belongs to the ubiquitin-specific processing protease (UBP) family. USP14/TGT60 kD expression in leukemic and colorectal cancer cell lines, and the suppression of such an expression after the induction of cell differentiation have been reported. In the present study, we attempted to clarify whether USP14/TGT60 kD overexpression affects the clinicopathological features of colorectal cancer. Immunohistochemically, USP14/TGT60 kD was absent or weakly localized in the cytoplasm of normal colorectal epithelial cells. In 18 of 99 (18.2%) colorectal cancer patients, USP14/TGT60 kD was strongly detected in the cytoplasm of cancer cells. USP14/TGT60 kD expression correlated with pathological stage (P=0.03), and lymph node (P=0.03) and liver (P=0.03) metastases. Furthermore, the percentage of patients strongly positive for USP14/TGT60 kD expression increased with pathological stage. The overall survival rate was worse in patients with a high USP14/TGT60 kD expression level than in those with a low USP14/TGT60 kD expression level. Our results suggest that USP14/TGT60 kD also controls the fate of proteins that regulate tumor invasion and metastasis.
Shinji
Seiichi
S
Department of Surgery for Organ and Biological Regulation (Department of Surgery I), Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo 113-8603, Japan.
Naito
Zenya
Z
Ishiwata
Shunji
S
Ishiwata
Toshiyuki
T
Tanaka
Noritake
N
Furukawa
Kiyonori
K
Suzuki
Hideyuki
H
Seya
Tomoko
T
Matsuda
Akihisa
A
Katsuta
Miwako
M
Tajiri
Takashi
T
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary; D000368:Aged; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016019:Survival Analysis; D015996:Survival Rate; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase / Q000096:biosynthesis*
C509299:USP14 protein, human; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase