Increased Toll-like receptor 9 expression indicates adverse prognosis in oesophageal adenocarcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR-9) is a cellular DNA receptor that has been linked previously to invasion in various cancers. The aim of this study was to investigate TLR-9 expression and its possible association with prognosis in oesophageal adenocarcinoma.


RESULTS
Immunohistochemical TLR-9 expression was graded in clinical specimens (n = 76) of oesophageal adenocarcinoma. The TLR-9 immunostaining intensity was compared with tumour grade, stage and indicators of proliferation, apoptosis and tumour vascular supply. High TLR-9 expression correlated with advanced tumour stage, tumour unresectability, poor differentiation and high proliferation. Strong immunoreactivity of TLR-9 also indicated poor overall survival.


CONCLUSIONS
High TLR-9 expression is associated with poor differentiation, a high proliferation rate and disseminated disease. Accordingly, increased TLR-9 expression may contribute to the growth and metastatic properties of oesophageal adenocarcinoma.
Departments of Anatomy and Cell Biology Surgery, University of Oulu, Finland. joonas.kauppila@oulu.fi
Joonas H
JH
Kauppila
Heikki
H
Takala
Katri S
KS
Selander
Petri P
PP
Lehenkari
Juha
J
Saarnio
Tuomo J
TJ
Karttunen
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9 / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C495371:TLR9 protein, human; D051217:Toll-Like Receptor 9