title: Expression of astrocyte elevated gene-1 (AEG-1) as a biomarker for aggressive pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Altered expression of astrocyte elevated gene-1 (AEG-1) is associated with tumorigenesis and progression. The present study aimed to investigate the clinical and prognostic significance of AEG-1 expression in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot analyses were employed to assess AEG-1 expression in three pancreatic cancer cell lines and normal pancreatic duct epithelial cells. qRT-PCR and immunohistochemical analyses were performed to detect AEG-1 expression in ten pairs of PDAC and normal pancreas tissues. Immunohistochemistry was then used to examine AEG-1 expression in paraffin-embedded tissues obtained from 105 patients, and its association with clinicopathological parameters including cancer classification was examined. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to study the survival rates of patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Expression of AEG-1 mRNA and protein was markedly higher in pancreatic cancer cell lines than that in the normal pancreatic duct epithelial cells. AEG-1 expression was evidently upregulated in PDAC tissues compared to that of the matched distant normal pancreas tissues. qRT-PCR data revealed that the tumor/non-tumor ratio of AEG-1 expression was >1.5-fold (up to 6.5-fold). Immunohistochemical data showed that AEG-1 protein was detected in 98.09% (103/105) of PDAC tissues; and they were found to be associated with tumor size (P = 0.025), advanced clinical stage (P = 0.004), T classification (P = 0.006), N classification (P = 0.003), and M classification (P = 0.007). Furthermore, Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients with high AEG-1-expressed PDAC had shorter overall survival. A multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that clinical stage, T classification, and AEG-1 expression were the independent prognostic predictors for PDAC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that AEG-1 protein was highly expressed in PDAC and associated with poor prognosis of the patients.
authors.affiliation: The First People's Hospital of Yuhang District, 311100 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China. hy9902004@126.com.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Guo-Ping
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Chao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Shui-Feng
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Gan
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Tian-Yuan
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D016019:Survival Analysis
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; C483039:MTDH protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins