Differences in the expression profiles of excision repair crosscomplementation group 1, x-ray repair crosscomplementation group 1, and betaIII-tubulin between primary non-small cell lung cancer and metastatic lymph nodes and the significance in mid-term survival.
BACKGROUND
This study aimed to compare the expression profiles of excision repair crosscomplementation group 1 (ERCC1), x-ray repair crosscomplementation group 1 (XRCC1), and betaIII-tubulin between patients with primary non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and those with metastatic lymph nodes and to identify the prognostic significance of each chemotherapy resistance protein.


METHODS
Those who met the inclusion criteria were patients (1) with NSCLC, (2) with metastatic lymph nodes (N1 or N2), and (3) who underwent surgical resection followed by platinum-based adjuvant chemotherapy. A total of 82 patients were included in the study. The expression profile of each protein was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and compared according to tumor location.


RESULTS
The mean age of the patients was 57.5 +/- 8.4 years. There were 30 N1 and 52 N2 patients. ERCC1 expression was upregulated in 55% and downregulated in 8% of metastatic lymph nodes, when compared with primary tumors (p < 0.05). XRCC1 was also upregulated in 56% and downregulated in 6% (p < 0.05). However, betaIII-tubulin was upregulated in 12% and downregulated in 45% of patients (p < 0.05). betaIII-tubulin expression in metastatic lymph nodes was greater in patients with adenocarcinoma than other cell types. Upregulation of ERCC1 in metastatic lymph nodes was a poor prognostic factor in N1 patients but not in N2 patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Significant changes in the expression profile of each protein were observed in metastatic lymph nodes. The resistance protein-guided treatment should be performed after integrative interpretation of expression profiles of each protein in both primary and metastatic sites.
Kang
Chang Hyun
CH
Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea. chkang@snu.ac.kr
Jang
Bo Gun
BG
Kim
Dong-Wan
DW
Chung
Doo Hyun
DH
Kim
Young Tae
YT
Jheon
Sanghoon
S
Sung
Sook-Whan
SW
Kim
Joo Hyun
JH
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D004260:DNA Repair; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004720:Endonucleases / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D014404:Tubulin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000076105:X-ray Repair Cross Complementing Protein 1
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C498585:TUBB3 protein, human; D014404:Tubulin; D000076105:X-ray Repair Cross Complementing Protein 1; C000619371:XRCC1 protein, human; C071447:ERCC1 protein, human; D004720:Endonucleases