title: L1CAM protein expression is associated with poor prognosis in non-small cell lung cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1CAM) is potentially involved in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). EMT marker expression is of prognostic significance in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The relevance of L1CAM for NSCLC is unclear. We investigated the protein expression of L1CAM in a cohort of NSCLC patients. L1CAM protein expression was correlated with clinico-pathological parameters including survival and markers of epithelial-mesenchymal transition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  L1CAM protein expression was found in 25% of squamous cell carcinomas and 24% of adenocarcinomas and correlated with blood vessel invasion and metastasis (p < 0.05). L1CAM was an independent predictor of survival in a multivariate analysis including pT, pN, and pM category, and tumor differentiation grade. L1CAM expression positively correlated with vimentin, beta-catenin, and slug, but inversely with E-cadherin (all p-values < 0.05). E-cadherin expression was higher in the tumor center than in the tumor periphery, whereas L1CAM and vimentin were expressed at the tumor-stroma interface. In L1CAM-negative A549 cells the L1CAM expression was upregulated and matrigel invasion was increased after stimulation with TGF-beta1. In L1CAM-positive SK-LU-1 and SK-LC-LL cells matrigel invasion was decreased after L1CAM siRNA knockdown.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A subset of NSCLCs with vessel tropism and increased metastasis aberrantly expresses L1CAM. L1CAM is a novel prognostic marker for NSCLCs that is upregulated by EMT induction and appears to be instrumental for enhanced cell invasion.
authors: Institute of Surgical Pathology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. verena.tischler@usz.ch
authors: Verena
authors: V
authors: Tischler
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Pfeifer
authors: Silke
authors: S
authors: Hausladen
authors: Uwe
authors: U
authors: Schirmer
authors: Anne-Katrine
authors: AK
authors: Bonde
authors: Glen
authors: G
authors: Kristiansen
authors: Martin L
authors: ML
authors: Sos
authors: Walter
authors: W
authors: Weder
authors: Holger
authors: H
authors: Moch
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Altevogt
authors: Alex
authors: A
authors: Soltermann
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D058750:Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition; D005260:Female; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D039842:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule L1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis; D034622:RNA Interference
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D039842:Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule L1