Activating transcription factor 1 is a prognostic marker of colorectal cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Identifying cancer-related genes or proteins is critical in preventing and controlling colorectal cancer (CRC). This study was to investigate the clinicopathological and prognostic value of activating transcription factor 1 (ATF1) in CRC.


METHODS
Protein expression of ATF1 was detected using immunohistochemistry in 66 CRC tissues. Clinicopathological association of ATF1 in CRC was analyzed with chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. The prognostic value of ATF1 in CRC is estimated using the Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression models.


RESULTS
The ATF1 protein expression was significantly lower in tumor tissues than corresponding normal tissues (51.5% and 71.1%, respectively, P = 0.038). No correlation was found between ATF1 expression and the investigated clinicopathological parameters, including gender, age, depth of invasion, lymph node status, metastasis, pathological stage, vascular tumoral emboli, peritumoral deposits, chemotherapy and original tumor site (all with P > 0.05). Patients with higher ATF1 expression levels have a significantly higher survival rate than that with lower expression (P = 0.026 for overall survival, P = 0.008 for progress free survival). Multivariate Cox regression model revealed that ATF1 expression and depth of invasion were the predictors of the overall survival (P = 0.008 and P = 0.028) and progress free survival (P = 0.002 and P = 0.005) in CRC.


CONCLUSIONS
Higher ATF1 expression is a predictor of a favorable outcome for the overall survival and progress free survival in CRC.
Sino-American Cancer Research Institute, Guangdong Medical College, Dongguan, China.
Guo-Liang
GL
Huang
Hong-Qiang
HQ
Guo
Feng
F
Yang
Ou-Fei
OF
Liu
Bin-Bin
BB
Li
Xing-Yan
XY
Liu
Yan
Y
Lu
Zhi-Wei
ZW
He
D051697:Activating Transcription Factor 1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D015996:Survival Rate; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
C531110:ATF1 protein, human; D051697:Activating Transcription Factor 1; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor