title: Levels of HOXB7 and miR-337 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Many studies have revealed that homeobox-B7 (HOXB7) and miR-337 play important roles in different types of human cancers. However, the relationship of HOXB7 and miR-337 in PDAC with clinicopathological factors has not yet been examined and their biological roles remain to be explored.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using quantitative real-time RT-PCR and immunohistochemical staining, the expression of HOXB7 mRNA, miR-337, and HOXB7 protein in 44 PDAC samples was detected. Survival curves were made using follow-up data. The relationship between clinical or pathological characteristics and the prognosis was analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression levels of HOXB7 mRNA and HOXB7 protein were significantly elevated in PDAC samples than that in non-malignant adjacent tissues. There were obvious differences in HOXB7 mRNA and proteins between tumors of different diameters, differentiation, TNM stage, and lymph node status. The level of miR-337 was markedly lower in tumor samples than in non-malignant adjacent tissues. The expression of miR-337 was related to TNM stage and lymph node status. There were significant differences in survival curves between patients with tumors <4 cm in diameter and patients with tumors ≥4 cm, among groups of well, moderately, and poorly differentiated tumors, between groups with TNM stages I, II and III or IV, between groups with metastatic lymph nodes and non-metastatic lymph nodes, among groups of HOXB7 protein expression negative (or weak) and positive, between groups with low levels of miR-337 expression and with high levels of miR-337 expression. The levels of HOXB7 mRNA, HOXB7 protein, and miR-337 were found to be associated with longer survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study showed that HOXB7 was over-expressed and miR-337 was minimally expressed in PDAC tissues, and their levels were related to TNM stage and lymph node status. The levels of HOXB7 mRNA, HOXB7 protein, and miR-337 were associated with survival in PDAC patients. Results suggested that HOXB7 and miR-337 could be used as determinants of PDAC patient prognosis.
  The virtual slides for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/1509730773118658.
authors.affiliation: Department of emergency, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No,1 Jianshe Road, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China. ruizhang0001@126.com.
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Shangen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Yuwen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Yuanyuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Wenqiao
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zang
authors.forename: Guoqiang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C490538:HOXB7 protein, human; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D035683:MicroRNAs; C544075:Mirn337 microRNA, human