Up-regulated expression of type II very low density lipoprotein receptor correlates with cancer metastasis and has a potential link to β-catenin in different cancers.
BACKGROUND
Very low density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR) has been considered as a multiple function receptor due to binding numerous ligands, causing endocytosis and regulating cellular signaling. Our group previously reported that enhanced activity of type II VLDLR (VLDLR II), one subtype of VLDLR, promotes adenocarcinoma SGC7901 cells proliferation and migration. The aim of this study is to explore the expression levels of VLDLR II in human gastric, breast and lung cancer tissues, and to investigate its relationship with clinical characteristics and β-catenin expression status.


METHODS
VLDLR II expression was examined using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blot in tumor tissues from 213 gastric, breast and lung cancer patients, tumor adjacent noncancerous tissues by same methods. Correlations between VLDLR II and clinical features, as well as β-catenin expression status were evaluated by statistical analysis.


RESULTS
The immunohistochemical staining of VLDLR II showed statistical difference between tumor tissues and tumor adjacent noncancerous tissues in gastric, breast and lung cancers (P = 0.034, 0.018 and 0.043, respectively). Moreover, using Western, we found higher VLDLR II expression levels were associated with lymph node and distant metastasis in gastric and breast cancer (P < 0.05). Furthermore, highly significant positive correlations were found between VLDLR II and β-catenin in gastric cancer (r = 0.689; P < 0.001)breast cancer (r = 0.594; P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
According to the results of the current study, high VLDLR II expression is correlated with lymph node and distant metastasis in gastric and breast cancer patients, the data suggest that VLDLR II may be a clinical marker in cancers, and has a potential link with β-catenin signaling pathway. This is the first to reveal the closer relationship of VLDLR II with clinical information.
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China.
Lei
L
He
Yanjun
Y
Lu
Peng
P
Wang
Jun
J
Zhang
Chuanchang
C
Yin
Shen
S
Qu
D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008024:Ligands; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011973:Receptors, LDL / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D015854:Up-Regulation; D051176:beta Catenin / Q000378:metabolism*
D008024:Ligands; D011973:Receptors, LDL; D051176:beta Catenin; C540760:very low density lipoprotein receptor type II, human