title: ALDH1A1 overexpression is associated with the progression and prognosis in gastric cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family member A1 (ALDH1A1) is a cancer stem cell marker, and its expression correlates with prognosis in a number of malignancies. The aim of this study is to determine the relationship of ALDH1A1 expression with clinicopathological parameters and prognosis in gastric cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  ALDH1A1 and matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9) was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in 216 gastric carcinoma samples. The association between expression of ALDH1A1 and MMP-9, clinicopathological parameters, and prognosis of gastric cancer was examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ALDH1A1 protein expression was significantly associated with depth invasion, lymph node metastasis and stage of disease (all P<0.05). Both univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that ALDH1A1 was an independent prognostic factor for both overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) (both P<0.001). Furthermore, ALDH1A1 overexpression was associated with poor prognosis in patients subgroups stratified by tumor size, depth invasion and lymph node metastasis. Moreover, ALDH1A1 was significantly correlated with MMP-9 among 216 gastric cancer tissues (P<0.001). Patients who had ALDH1A1 overexpression, in which tumor cells displayed high invasiveness, had poor OS and shorter RFS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ALDH1A1 plays an important role in tumor aggressiveness and prognosis, and may act as a promising target for prognostic prediction.
authors.forename: Xiao-shan
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Xiang-yang
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University, Guilin 541004, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. wsluo58@126.com.
authors.forename: Wei-sheng
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase / Q000235:genetics*; D000080924:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D050697:Retinal Dehydrogenase; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000080924:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1 Family; D000444:Aldehyde Dehydrogenase; C510223:ALDH1A1 protein, human; D050697:Retinal Dehydrogenase; D020780:Matrix Metalloproteinase 9