Overexpression of Tbx3 predicts poor prognosis of patients with resectable pancreatic carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
To determine the expressions of Tbx3, a member of subgroup belonging to T-box family, and its prognostic value in pancreatic carcinoma.


METHODS
We determined the expression levels of Tbx3 on both mRNA and protein levels in 30 pairs of fresh tumor tissues and paratumor tissues by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting, respectively. In addition, protein level of Tbx3 were identified using immunochemistry in 80 pairs of paraffin-embedded specimen. The correlations between Tbx3 expression and various clinicopathological parameters as well as overall survival were evaluated.


RESULTS
Tbx3 mRNA and protein levels in tumor tissues were significantly higher than in the paratumor tissues by qRT-PCR (0.05 ±0.007 vs. 0.087±0.001, p<0.001) and western blotting (1.134±0.043 vs. 0.287±0.017, p<0.001). The statistical analysis based on immunohistochemical evaluation suggested that Tbx3 aberrant expression was significantly associated with several conventional clinicopathological variables, such as gender, age, tumor position, preoperative CA19-9 level, pathological T staging and N staging. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that Tbx3 expression was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that overexpression of Tbx3 is associated with poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer patients. However, additional clinical trials are needed to accurately validate this observation.
Department of General Surgery, Sixth People's Hospital Affiliated Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Yi-shan Road, Shanghai, China E-mail : 15216633283@163.com.
Hong-Cheng
HC
Wang
Qing-Cai
QC
Meng
Ze-Zhi
ZZ
Shan
Zhou
Z
Yuan
Xin-Yu
XY
Huang
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015996:Survival Rate; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins; C106884:TBX3 protein, human