Positive association of up-regulated Cripto-1 and down-regulated E-cadherin with tumour progression and poor prognosis in gastric cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Cripto-1 may be capable of up-regulating signalling molecules associated with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), an important event characterized by loss of E-cadherin during malignant tumour progression and metastasis. The aim was to investigate the expression of Cripto-1 and E-cadherin in relation to clinicopathological features and patient prognosis of gastric cancer.


RESULTS
The expression of Cripto-1 and E-cadherin was studied by immunohistochemistry in 118 gastric cancer cases. Up-regulated Cripto-1 (CR+) was found in 54% (64/118) of cases, whereas down-regulated E-cadherin (E-cad-) was found in 70% (83/118) of cases. Either CR+ or E-cad- was associated with lymph node metastasis, liver metastasis and late TNM stage (P < 0.05). Patients with either CR- or E-cad+ showed higher 5-year survival rates than those with CR+ or E-cad- (P = 0.0012 and P = 0.0017, respectively). When combined, evaluation of these two proteins, simultaneous CR+ and E-cad- (CR+/E-cad-) in cancer was strongly associated with the above three aggressive clinicopathological features (P < 0.001) and indicated the worst patient survival (P = 0.0001). Multivariate analysis revealed that CR+/E-cad- was an independent prognostic factor in gastric cancer.


CONCLUSIONS
Combined analysis of Cripto-1 and E-cadherin has significant value in evaluating the metastatic potential of gastric cancer and predicting patient prognosis.
Zhong
X-Y
XY
Department of Surgery, Beijing Cancer Hospital, Beijing Institute for Cancer Research, Peking University School of Oncology, Beijing, China.
Zhang
L-H
LH
Jia
S-Q
SQ
Shi
T
T
Niu
Z-J
ZJ
Du
H
H
Zhang
G-G
GG
Hu
Y
Y
Lu
A-P
AP
Li
J-Y
JY
Ji
J-F
JF
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018450:Disease Progression; D015536:Down-Regulation; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D005743:Gastrectomy; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality; D015996:Survival Rate; D015854:Up-Regulation
D015820:Cadherins; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; C070636:TDGF1 protein, human; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor