title: Determination of SGK1 mRNA in non-small cell lung cancer samples underlines high expression in squamous cell carcinomas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lung cancer represents the most frequent cause of death for cancer. In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which accounts for the vast majority of this disease, only early detection and treatment, when possible, may significantly affect patient's prognosis. An important role in NSCLC malignancy is attributed to the signal transduction pathways involving PI3Kinase, with consequent activation of the AKT family factors. The serum and glucocorticoid kinase (SGK) factors, which share high structural and functional homologies with the AKT factors, are a family of ubiquitously expressed serine/threonine kinases under the control of cellular stress and hormones. SGK1 is the most represented SGK member.
  
  
  METHODS
  By means of immunohistochemistry and quantitative real-time PCR, we determined SGK1 protein and mRNA expression in a cohort of 66 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded NSCLC surgical samples. All samples belonged to patients with a well-documented clinical history.
  
  
  RESULTS
  mRNA expression was significantly higher in squamous cell carcinomas, and correlated with several clinical prognostic indicators, being elevated in high-grade tumors and in tumors with bigger size and worse clinical stage. No correlation was found between SGK1 protein expression and these clinical parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This explorative analysis of SGK1 expression in NSCLC samples highlights the potential role of this factor in NSCLC patients' prognosis. Moreover, the higher expression in the squamous cell carcinoma subtype opens new therapeutic possibilities in this NSCLC subtype by designing specific kinase inhibitors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Development of Therapeutic Programs, National Cancer Institute Regina Elena, IRCCS, 00144 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Abbruzzese
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mattarocci
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pizzuti
authors.forename: Anna M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mileo
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Visca
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Antoniani
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Alessandrini
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Facciolo
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Amato
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: D'Antona
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rinaldi
authors.forename: Armando
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Felsani
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Perrotti
authors.forename: Marco G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Paggi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D000099184:Serum-Glucocorticoid Regulated Kinases
chemical_list: D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000099184:Serum-Glucocorticoid Regulated Kinases