title: Abnormal expression of Nek2 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: a novel marker for prognosis.
abstract: Nek2 is a serine/threonine kinase that has a critical role in mitosis during the cell division process. Despite its importance in centrosome regulation and spindle formation, no direct binders are reported between human pancreatic cancer and Nek2 protein. Our aim in studying Nek2 expression and survival in PDA patients is to determine whether Nek2 is a valuable prognostic factor in PDA tumorigenesis. We found that Nek2 mRNA was elevated in PDA tissues. A high level of expression of Nek2 was significantly correlated with histological differentiation (P=0.042), lymph node metastasis (P=0.003) and tumor stage (P=0.001). Patients with a high Nek2 expression had a significantly worse overall survival (OS) than those patients with low Nek2 expression (P=0.002). Univariate and multivariate analysis revealed that high expression of Nek2 could serve as an independent predictor of poor prognosis. These results indicate that Nek2 could be a promising prognostic molecular marker and an attractive therapeutic target for PDA.
authors: Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University Dalian, China.
authors: Zhen
authors: Z
authors: Ning
authors: Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University Dalian, China.
authors: Aman
authors: A
authors: Wang
authors: Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University Dalian, China.
authors: Jinxiao
authors: J
authors: Liang
authors: Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University Dalian, China.
authors: Jiwei
authors: J
authors: Liu
authors: Department of Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University Dalian, China.
authors: Tao
authors: T
authors: Zhou
authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalian Medical University, Liaoning Provincial Core Lab of Glycobiology and Glycoengineering Dalian, China.
authors: Qiu
authors: Q
authors: Yan
authors: Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Dalian Medical University Dalian, China.
authors: Zhongyu
authors: Z
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D001706:Biopsy; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D000072379:NIMA-Related Kinases; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C089441:NEK2 protein, human; D000072379:NIMA-Related Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
keywords: Nek2; pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma; prognosis