Clinical significance of stanniocalcin 2 as a prognostic marker in gastric cancer.
BACKGROUND
Stanniocalcins are glycoprotein hormones that were originally found in the endocrine gland of bony fish. Microarray expression data from 32 paired samples of gastric cancer and normal mucosa in a public microarray database showed that the expression level of Stanniocalcin 2 was higher in gastric cancer than in normal gastric mucosa. The clinical significance of Stanniocalcin 2 expression has been observed for several cancers. However, the relationship between Stanniocalcin 2 and clinicopathological factors in gastric cancer has not yet been investigated.


METHODS
We examined the clinical significance of Stanniocalcin 2 in gastric cancer in 108 gastric cancer samples using real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Immunohistochemical studies were conducted with paraffin sections. The suppression analysis of Stanniocalcin 2 using siRNA was done to determine Stanniocalcin 2's biological roles.


RESULTS
The level of Stanniocalcin 2 in cancer tissues was higher than in normal tissues (P = .0002). The high Stanniocalcin 2 expression group (n = 54) had more progressive lymph node metastasis (P = .07) and venous invasion (P = .028) than the low-expression group (n = 54). High Stanniocalcin 2 expression was an independent prognostic factor in gastric cancer patients (P = .02). Moreover, siRNA suppression of Stanniocalcin 2 in a gastric cancer cell line inhibited cellular proliferation (P < .05).


CONCLUSIONS
The high expression level of Stanniocalcin 2 in gastric cancer tissues could be a very powerful marker of poor prognosis. Therefore, Stanniocalcin 2 is a promising candidate for a molecular target for the treatment of gastric cancer.
Yokobori
Takehiko
T
Department of Surgery, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, Beppu, Japan.
Mimori
Koshi
K
Ishii
Hideshi
H
Iwatsuki
Masaaki
M
Tanaka
Fumiaki
F
Kamohara
Yukio
Y
Ieta
Keisuke
K
Kita
Yoshiaki
Y
Doki
Yuichiro
Y
Kuwano
Hiroyuki
H
Mori
Masaki
M
D000368:Aged; D015153:Blotting, Western; D018279:Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D010534:Peritoneal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000494:pharmacology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013270:Stomach / Q000473:pathology; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015996:Survival Rate; D015854:Up-Regulation
D006023:Glycoproteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; C114997:STC2 protein, human