High expression of GOLPH3 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma correlates with poor prognosis.
BACKGROUND
Whether the expression of Golgi phosphoprotein 3 (GOLPH3) correlates with esophageal cancer tumorigenesis is currently unclear. The aim of this study was to examine GOLPH3 expression in patients with esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) and explore its clinical significance.


METHODS
Differences in the expression of GOLPH3 at the mRNA and protein level were examined via quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR and western blotting, respectively. GOLPH3 expression levels in ESCC tissue were determined through immunohistochemistry, and were compared in accordance with specific clinicopathological features of the patients and tissue specimens. Factors associated with patient survival were also analyzed.


RESULTS
A notably higher level of GOLPH3 expression was found in ESCC cell lines and tissues at both mRNA and protein levels. High expression of GOLPH3 in ESCC patients was positively associated with clinical stage, TNM classification, histological differentiation and vital status (all P<0.0001). Expression of GOLPH3 was found to be an independent prognostic factor in ESCC patients. ESCC patients expressing high levels of GOLPH3 exhibited a substantially lower 5-year overall survival than GOLPH3-negative patients. Furthermore, a significant correlation between high GOLPH3 expression and shorter overall survival time was found in different subgroups of ESCC patients stratified by the clinical stage, T classification, and lymph node metastasis.


CONCLUSIONS
Experiments demonstrated potential involvement of GOLPH3 in the development, differentiation, and tumorigenesis of ESCC, and concludes the possibility of its use as a diagnostic and prognostic marker in patients with ESCC.
Department of Chest, Second People's Hospital of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, Guangdong, PR China. wangjh296@163.com
Jian-Hua
JH
Wang
Xiu-Ting
XT
Chen
Zhe-Sheng
ZS
Wen
Min
M
Zheng
Jian-Ming
JM
Deng
Ming-Zhi
MZ
Wang
Huan-Xin
HX
Lin
Kun
K
Chen
Jun
J
Li
Jing-Ping
JP
Yun
Rong-Zhen
RZ
Luo
Li-Bing
LB
Song
D015153:Blotting, Western; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
C429024:GOLPH3 protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins