title: Down-regulation of Bax-interacting factor 1 in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Bax-interacting factor 1 (Bif-1) protein plays a critical role in apoptosis, mitochondrial morphogenesis, and autophagy, and its loss promotes tumorigenesis. The role of Bif-1 in pancreatic cancer has not been studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  We determined Bif-1 expression in 82 human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDCs) and in 82 nonmalignant pancreatic specimens (NMPs), using immunohistochemistry and tissue microarray. Bif-1 immunostain was semiquantitatively scored on a scale of 0 to 9.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bif-1 scores in NMP were either 6 or 9, with lower scores in only 19 (23.2%) of 82 NMPs. Low Bif-1 expression (score <6) was found in 37 (45.1%) of 82 PDCs, a proportion significantly greater than that found in NMP (P = 0.005). The expression of Bif-1 was twice as likely to be low in PDC as in NMP (relative risk = 1.95, 95% confidence interval, 1.23-3.09). Kaplan-Meier survival estimates showed no difference in survival between patients with low and high Bif-1 expression (P = 0.21, log-rank test).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expression of Bif-1 is downregulated in a subset of PDC. This novel finding is in agreement with the tumor suppressor function of Bif-1. The lack of association between Bif-1 expression and patient survival may be best explained by the complexity of carcinogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomic Pathology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA. Domenico.Coppola@moffitt.org
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Coppola
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Helm
authors.forename: Msoumeh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghayouri
authors.forename: Mokenge P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Malafa
authors.forename: Hong-Gang
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000378:metabolism; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D040081:Protein Array Analysis
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; C429293:SH3GLB1 protein, human