title: Expression patterns of claudins 1, 4, and 7 and their prognostic significance in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Tight junction (TJ) proteins in the cells organize paracellular permeability, and they have a critical role in apical cell-to-cell adhesion and epithelial polarity. In our study, the expression patterns of claudins 1, 4, and 7 and their relationship with prognosis were determined in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Claudins 1, 4, and 7 were stained immunohistochemically in 18 biopsy samples of nasopharyngeal carcinomas that included non-neoplastic surface epithelium and dysplastic epithelium in addition to the tumor tissue. The files of these patients were scanned and the stage of disease and treatment received were obtained along with demographic data such as age and gender.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overexpression of claudins 1, 4, and 7 in non-neoplastic surface epithelium was found in 14 (77.7%), 16 (88.8%), and 10 (55.5%) cases respectively; in dysplastic surface epithelium overexpression was found in 8 (44.4%), 13 (72.2%), and 4 (22.2%) cases, respectively; and in invasive tumor areas overexpression was found in 13 (72.2%), 9 (50%), and 10 (55.6%) cases respectively. Increased claudin 4 expression was related to advanced stage (p=0.014). There was a significant relationship determined between claudin 4 and 7 expression and decreased survival (p=0.018, p=0.024, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The fact that a statistically significant relationship was found between claudin 4 expression and advanced stage, and similarly a statistically significant relationship was found between claudin 4 & 7 expression and decreased survival gives rise to thoughts that especially claudin 4 and 7 could have different tumorigenic effects on nasopharyngeal carcinoma besides their known adhesion characteristics.
authors.affiliation: Antalya Education and Research Hospital, Department of Pathology, Antalya, Turkey.
authors.forename: Dinc
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Suren
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yildirim
authors.forename: Vildan
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.forename: Ruksan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Elal
authors.forename: Omer Tarik
authors.initials: OT
authors.lastname: Selcuk
authors.forename: Ustun
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Osma
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yildiz
authors.forename: Seyda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gunduz
authors.forename: Cem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sezer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002277:Carcinoma; D062445:Claudin-1 / Q000032:analysis*; D062506:Claudin-4 / Q000032:analysis*; D057167:Claudins / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000077274:Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C568108:CLDN1 protein, human; C568157:CLDN4 protein, human; C473255:CLDN7 protein, human; D062445:Claudin-1; D062506:Claudin-4; D057167:Claudins