title: Expression and prognostic value of NDRG2 in human astrocytomas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The pathological grading system of human astrocytoma is usually used to evaluate the outcomes of brain glioma patients. However, it is true that some astrocytoma patients with similar grades underwent obvious discrepancy in survival. Increasing evidence shows that certain tumor biomarkers are more suitable for prognosis assessment of tumors than the grading system. NDRG2, a member of the N-myc downstream-regulated gene family, plays an important role in cell proliferation and differentiation, but whether it can be used as a biomarker for prognosis assessment of astrocytomas remains unknown.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunohistochemistry and semi-quantitative RT-PCR were performed to examine the expression profile of NDRG2 in human astrocytoma specimens. Spearman correlation coefficient was used to describe the association between NDRG2 expression and the clinical parameters of astrocytoma patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our results showed that both protein and mRNA expression levels of NDRG2 were significantly downregulated in astrocytomas. In the analysis of the relationship of NDRG2 expression with pathological grades of astrocytoma and with patient survival rate, we found that NDRG2 expression was negatively correlated with pathological grading but positively with the life span of astrocytoma patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NDRG2 can serve as a potential prognostic biomarker for human astrocytoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Xijing Hospital, The Fourth Military Medical University, 127 Changle Xi Road, 710032 Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xuefeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiaoning
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yonghong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Yanchun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Deng
mesh_terms: D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C466228:NDRG2 protein, human; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins