title: Clinical-pathological implication of human leukocyte antigen-F-positive gastric adenocarcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-F is a nonclassical HLA class I molecule that shows aberrant expression in cancer cells. Although the clinical implications of HLA-F expression in cancer patients have been described, the specific significance of this antigen in gastrointestinal cancer remains unclear. The present study examined the expression pattern and clinical implications of HLA-F in gastric adenocarcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  HLA-F expression was assessed in 179 patients by immunohistochemistry, and its association with clinical parameters including patient survival was analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HLA-F expression was positive in 30.7% (55/179) of patients and in 50.0% (90/179) of peritumoral infiltrating lymphocytes. HLA-F expression in gastric adenocarcinoma was significantly correlated with the depth of invasion, nodal involvement, and lymphatic and venous invasions (P < 0.01, all). HLA-F positivity of infiltrating cells near the tumor showed no correlation with clinicopathological features. HLA-F-positive patients had a significantly worse prognosis than HLA-F-negative patients (P = 0.012). However, HLA-F expression was not an independent prognostic factor in multivariate analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study provides the first evidence that neo-HLA-F expression is of clinical significance in gastric adenocarcinoma. HLA-F expression in gastric adenocarcinoma may promote the aggressive behavior of tumors by suppressing the activity of antitumor immune effector cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Digestive Surgery, Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Kagoshima University School of Medicine, Kagoshima, Japan. Electronic address: ishiga@m.kufm.kagoshima-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Sumiya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishigami
authors.forename: Takaaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Arigami
authors.forename: Testuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Setoyama
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okumura
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Yasuto
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Uchikado
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kurahara
authors.forename: Yuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kijima
authors.forename: Yuka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nishizono
authors.forename: Akihiro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nakajo
authors.forename: Shoji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Natsugoe
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality*; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C062341:HLA-F antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I
keywords: Gastric adenocarcinoma; HLA-F; Infiltrating cells; Surgical outcome