Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and its receptor: independent prognostic factors of oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Previous studies have shown that neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is overexpressed in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and closely associated with the invasiveness of ESCC cells. Recently, NGAL receptor (NGALR) was identified from ESCC cells, and was also found to be increased in ESCC. The purpose of this study was to reveal the clinical significance of NGAL and/or NGALR in ESCC.


METHODS
Tissue microarray was performed to detect expression of NGAL and NGALR in 222 ESCC specimens. Pearson χ(2) test was used to analyse correlations between NGAL and/or NGALR expression and clinicopathological features. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and the Cox proportional hazards regression model were used to evaluate the effect of NGAL and/or NGALR expression on prognosis of patients with ESCC.


RESULTS
NGAL and NGALR were highly expressed in ESCC. χ(2) test results showed no significant correlations between NGAL or NGALR expression and clinicopathological features. However, NGAL/NGALR coexpression correlated with histological differentiation grade (p=0.033). Survival analysis showed that positive expression of NGAL or NGALR was significantly associated with a poor prognosis for patients with ESCC (p=0.000 or p=0.002). Patients with positive expression of both NGAL and NGALR had a shorter survival time than those with negative expression of both (p=0.048). Multivariate analysis showed that both NGAL and NGALR were independent prognostic factors.


CONCLUSIONS
These results indicate that both NGAL and NGALR may be involved in the progression of ESCC and can be considered as independent prognostic factors of ESCC.
Institute of Oncologic Pathology, Medical College of Shantou University, Shantou, People's Republic of China.
Ze-Peng
ZP
Du
Zhuo
Z
Lv
Bing-Li
BL
Wu
Zhi-Yong
ZY
Wu
Jin-Hui
JH
Shen
Jian-Yi
JY
Wu
Xiu-E
XE
Xu
Qiao
Q
Huang
Jian
J
Shen
Hai-bin
HB
Chen
En-Min
EM
Li
Li-Yan
LY
Xu
D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis
D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C489506:LCN2 protein, human; D000071068:Lipocalin-2; D054834:Lipocalins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins