title: GATA6 expression in Barrett's oesophagus and oesophageal adenocarcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Barrett's oesophagus can progress towards oesophageal adenocarcinoma through a metaplasia-dysplasia-carcinoma sequence, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. The transcription factor GATA6 is known to be involved in columnar differentiation and proliferation, and GATA6 gene amplification was recently linked with poor survival in oesophageal adenocarcinoma.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the expression of GATA6 during Barrett's oesophagus development and malignant transformation. To determine the prognostic value of GATA6 in oesophageal adenocarcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two retrospective cohorts were derived from the pathological archive of the University Medical Center Groningen. The first cohort contained 130 tissue samples of normal squamous epithelium, metaplasia, dysplasia and oesophageal adenocarcinoma. The second cohort consisted of a tissue microarray containing tissue from 92 oesophageal adenocarcinoma patients. Immunohistochemistry was used to examine GATA6 protein expression and to correlate GATA6 expression in oesophageal adenocarcinoma with overall and disease-free survival.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The percentage of GATA6-positive cells was low in squamous epithelium (10%) but increased progressively in Barrett's oesophagus (30%, P < 0.001) and high-grade dysplasia (82%, P = 0.005). GATA6 expression was not associated with overall or disease-free survival in oesophageal adenocarcinoma patients (P = 0.599 and P = 0.700 respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GATA6 expression is progressively increased during Barrett's oesophagus development and its malignant transformation. However, no prognostic value of GATA6 expression could be found in oesophageal adenocarcinoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Kirill
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pavlov
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Honing
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Coby
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meijer
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wytske
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Boersma-van Ek
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Frans T M
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anke
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: van den Berg
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Arend
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karrenbeld
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Oncology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: John T M
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Plukker
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Frank A E
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Kruyt
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: j.h.kleibeuker@umcg.nl.
authors.forename: Jan H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kleibeuker
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D000368:Aged; D001471:Barrett Esophagus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D015331:Cohort Studies; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D050993:GATA6 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D050993:GATA6 Transcription Factor; C494759:GATA6 protein, human
keywords: Barrett's oesophagus; GATA6; Oesophageal adenocarcinoma