TAZ is highly expressed in gastric signet ring cell carcinoma.
Transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) is known to bind to a variety of transcription factors to control cell differentiation and organ development. We examined TAZ protein levels in 146 stage II-IV gastric cancer using immunohistochemistry (IHC), while TAZ mRNA was confirmed by quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR) in 84 samples with enough tissue. TAZ protein expression was positive in 113 out of 146 (77.4%) gastric cancer samples. In parallel, TAZ mRNA expression was successfully detected in 81 of the 84 (96.4%) samples. Protein levels of TAZ were positively correlated with its mRNA levels (P = 0.018). High expression of TAZ protein was observed with higher percentage in gastric cancer samples with histology of signet ring cell carcinoma (SRCC) than adenocarcinoma (85.7% versus 60.2%, P = 0.001). Similarly, TAZ mRNA level was higher in SRCC than in adenocarcinoma (P = 0.003). When correlated with survival, the median overall survival (OS) is 14 months (95% CI: 12.2-15.8 months) in all patients. There was no significant association between survival and other clinical characteristics or TAZ expression levels. Our results show that TAZ is highly expressed in SRCC. TAZ might be considered as a target for the treatment of gastric SRCC in future.
The Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University & Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, 321 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing 210008, China.
Guofeng
G
Yue
The Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University & Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, 321 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing 210008, China.
Xia
X
Sun
Pangaea Biotech, USP Dexeus University Institute, Barcelona, Spain.
Ana
A
Gimenez-Capitan
The Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University & Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, 321 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing 210008, China.
Jie
J
Shen
The Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University & Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, 321 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing 210008, China.
Lixia
L
Yu
Pangaea Biotech, USP Dexeus University Institute, Barcelona, Spain.
Cristina
C
Teixido
Department of General Surgery, Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
Wenxian
W
Guan
Pangaea Biotech, USP Dexeus University Institute, Barcelona, Spain.
Rafael
0000-0003-0817-3400
R
Rosell
The Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University & Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, 321 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing 210008, China.
Baorui
B
Liu
The Comprehensive Cancer Centre of Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University & Clinical Cancer Institute of Nanjing University, 321 Zhongshan Road, Nanjing 210008, China.
Jia
J
Wei
D000217:Acyltransferases; D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics; D018279:Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000217:Acyltransferases; C108675:TAFAZZIN protein, human