title: Decreased Beclin-1 expression is correlated with the growth of the primary tumor in patients with squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the lung.
abstract: Beclin-1 is a Bcl-2-interacting protein, and it may delay cell cycle progression and induce autophagy. The function and expression of Beclin-1 and Bcl-2 in squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the lung remain largely unknown. Herein, we investigated the expression of Beclin-1 and Bcl-2 in squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the lung. Tissue samples from 262 cases were used in this study. Immunohistochemical staining for Beclin-1 and Bcl-2 were conducted using a tissue microarray. In squamous cell carcinoma, Beclin-1 expression was strongly positive in 48 (28.6%) of 168 samples, it was moderately positive in 42 (25.0%) of 168 samples, and it was negative or weakly positive in 78 (46.4%) of 168 samples. In adenocarcinoma, Beclin-1 expression was strongly positive in 26 (27.7%) of 94 samples, it was moderately positive in 27 (28.7%) of 94 samples, and it was negative or weakly positive in 41 (43.6%) of 94 samples. Beclin-1 expression was inversely correlated with the tumor size and the primary tumor stage (pT) in both types of tumor. Especially, the TNM stage of adenocarcinoma was inversely correlated with Beclin-1 expression. Our results suggest that a progressively reduced Beclin-1 expression is correlated with the primary tumor growth of squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the lung.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyung Hee University, College of Medicine, Seoul 134-727, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyu Yeoun
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Won
authors.forename: Gou Young
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sung-Jig
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Youn Wha
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071186:Beclin-1; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D056910:Republic of Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D015996:Survival Rate; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C491997:BECN1 protein, human; D000071186:Beclin-1; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D008565:Membrane Proteins