title: Lysyl-tRNA synthetase (KRS) expression in gastric carcinoma and tumor-associated inflammation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lysyl-tRNA synthetase (KRS) is an aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (ARS) that is essential for protein synthesis during ligation of specific amino acids to their cognate tRNAs. Aberrant expression of ARSs is associated with various human cancers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using immunohistochemical detection, the present study analyzed the clinical relevance of KRS expression in tumor cells and tumor-associated inflammatory cells (TAI) in 457 patients who underwent curative radical surgery and standard adjuvant therapy and who were observed on long-term follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  High expression of KRS in tumor cells (tumor-KRS(+)) was noted in 43.3 % (198 of 457) of cases. High expression of KRS in tumor-associated inflammatory cells (TAI-KRS(+)) including macrophages/monocytes, CD4-positive T cells, and/or neutrophils was observed in 37.2 % (170 of 457) of cases. Status of KRS in the tumor and TAI revealed an association with the known clinicopathological parameters for prognosis of gastric cancer. Tumor-KRS(+) status correlated to shorter overall survival, especially in stage III to IV cancers (P = 0.003), while TAI-KRS(+) status correlated significantly to longer overall survival in gastric cancer (P = 0.049). Cases with tumor-KRS(+) and TAI-KRS(-) status showed significantly reduced survival rates compared to those of other cases (P = 0.010), and status of tumor-KRS(+) and TAI-KRS(-) was revealed as an independently poor prognostic factor of overall survival (P = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  KRS-related inflammation can be identified in a subset of gastric cancer. This may be a possible mechanism of immune surveillance against tumor progression. In addition, expression status of KRS in tumor and TAI may be an independent prognostic marker for gastric cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Korea University Guro Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Baek-Hui
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Woon Yong
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Hyunjoo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Youngran
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: You-Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Jang
authors.forename: Soon Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Hyeong-Jae
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Sun Och
authors.initials: SO
authors.lastname: Yoon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000473:pathology*; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D008250:Lysine-tRNA Ligase / Q000032:analysis*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000737:chemistry; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D015996:Survival Rate; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D008250:Lysine-tRNA Ligase