p53AIP1 expression can be a prognostic marker in non-small cell lung cancer.
OBJECTIVE
p53AIP1 is a potential mediator of p53-dependent apoptosis that is mutated in many kinds of carcinoma. To investigate the role of this gene for non-small cell lung cancer, we compared the relationship between p53AIP1 gene expression and clinicopathological status of lung cancer.


METHODS
Seventy samples from non-small cell lung cancer patients were obtained between 1997 and 2003. For quantitative evaluation of RNA expression by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) we used the Taqman PCR methods. Exons 5-8 of the p53 gene were analysed using PCR-single-stranded conformation polymorphism and sequenced for mutation analysis.


RESULTS
p53AIP1 gene expression levels in the lymph node metastasis-positive group were significantly lower than in the negative group (positive 35.1+/-83.9; negative 64.2+/-113.4; P=0.0486). The overall survival of the p53AIP1 low expression group was significantly worse than that of the p53AIP1 high expression group (P=0.0206). In the multivariate Cox proportional hazard model, p53AIP1 (P=0.0489) was the independent predictor for overall survival. When we investigated mutation analyses of the p53 gene, we could find several point mutations in 15.7% of all samples. However, there was no relationship between p53AIP1 expression and p53 status.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that the p53AIP1 gene is important for non-small cell lung cancer progression and may be a possible prognostic marker.
Yamashita
S-I
SI
Department of Surgery, National Hospital Organization Kumamoto Medical Center, 1-5 Ninomaru, Kumamoto, 860-0008, Japan. yamashi1@med.oita-u.ac.jp
Masuda
Y
Y
Yoshida
N
N
Matsuzaki
H
H
Kurizaki
T
T
Haga
Y
Y
Ikei
S
S
Miyawaki
M
M
Kawano
Y
Y
Chujyo
M
M
Kawahara
K
K
D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D016158:Genes, p53; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D009154:Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; D011379:Prognosis; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects; D016019:Survival Analysis
D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C414742:P53AIP1 protein, human