Clinicopathological significance of BGP expression in non-small-cell lung carcinoma: relationship with histological type, microvessel density and patients' survival.
OBJECTIVE
Brain-type glycogen phosphorylase (BGP) is the major isoform of glycogen phosphorylase found in fetal and neoplastic tissues, and is generally thought to induce glucose supply during an ischaemic period. This study was performed to investigate BGP expression in non-small-cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC).


METHODS
A total of 119 cases of NSCLC, including 63 squamous cell carcinomas (SqCCs) and 56 adenocarcinomas (ACs), were imunohistochemically evaluated for BGP expression, and its expression was correlated with clinicopathological parameters.


RESULTS
In total, 76.5% were positive, while non-neoplastic bronchial epithelial cells were weakly positive and pneumocytes were negative. High BGP expression was noted in 78.6% of ACs and 36.5% of SqCCs (p=0.001). Microvessel density was higher in the low BGP expression tumours (29.6 +/- 16.9/mm(2)) than in the high expression tumours (22.8+/-13.8/mm(2)) (p=0.017). BGP expression did not correlate with patient age or tumour stage, but was more frequent in females than males. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that high BGP expression was associated with poorer survival (p=0.032).


CONCLUSIONS
BGP is expressed in NSCLC, particularly AC, and is an independent poor prognostic factor.
Lee
Min Ki
MK
Medical Research Institute, Department of lnternal Medicine, College of Medicine, Pusan National University, Busan, Korea.
Kim
Jae Ho
JH
Lee
Chang Hun
CH
Kim
Jong Min
JM
Kang
Chi Duk
CD
Kim
Young Dae
YD
Choi
Kyung Un
KU
Kim
Hwal Woong
HW
Kim
Jee Yeon
JY
Park
Do Youn
DY
Sol
Mee Young
MY
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000098:blood supply / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D025002:Glycogen Phosphorylase, Brain Form / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008168:Lung / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D015996:Survival Rate
D025002:Glycogen Phosphorylase, Brain Form