High expression of CX3CL1/CX3CR1 axis predicts a poor prognosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
BACKGROUND
CX3CL1 is a member of the chemokine family, and its receptor, CX3CR1, is expressed in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. However, it is unclear whether there is a correlation between the expression of CX3CL1/CX3CR1 axis and the prognosis of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.


METHODS
Tissue microarray and immunohistochemistry were used to study the expression of CX3CL1 and CX3CR1 in 105 specimens of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. We analyzed a relationship between patients' clinicopathological parameters and overall survival to the expression level of the CX3CL1/CX3CR1 axis using standard statistical analysis.


RESULTS
The expression of CX3CL1 and CX3CR1 (77.1 and 66.7 %, respectively) was clearly increased in areas of malignancy compared with peritumoral areas. We did not find any correlation between CX3CL1 and CX3CR1 expression with clinical or pathological data. Patients' overall survival was clearly worse with the combined high expression of CX3CL1 and CX3CR1. Patients with a high CX3CL1 expression tumor had a significantly shorter overall survival. High CX3CR1 expression was an independent negative prognosis factor.


CONCLUSIONS
We propose that the expression level of CX3CL1/CX3CR1 axis could provide clinical prognostic value, and the next steps should be to further investigate the mechanism by which CX3CL1 and its receptor impact survival in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Chang Hai Hospital, The 2nd Millitary Medical University, Chang Hai Road No.168, Shanghai 200433, China.
Xianhui
X
Xu
Yang
Y
Wang
Jinshui
J
Chen
Hongyun
H
Ma
Zhuo
Z
Shao
Haitao
H
Chen
Gang
G
Jin
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D000073883:CX3C Chemokine Receptor 1; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D054428:Chemokine CX3CL1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010180:Pancreatectomy; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D016577:Pancreaticoduodenectomy; D011379:Prognosis; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine / Q000378:metabolism*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis; D015854:Up-Regulation; D000093542:Gemcitabine
D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D000073883:CX3C Chemokine Receptor 1; C515538:CX3CL1 protein, human; C095235:CX3CR1 protein, human; D054428:Chemokine CX3CL1; D019707:Receptors, Chemokine; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000093542:Gemcitabine