title: Autophagic Markers BECLIN 1 and LC3 are Associated with Prognosis of Multiple Myeloma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Autophagy is crucial for the survival and function of plasma cells including protection from toxic misfolded immunoglobulin and proper energy metabolism. Multiple myeloma (MM) is an indolent but eventually fatal neoplasm of plasma cells. Autophagy may play a critical role in the survival of MM cells and their response to chemotherapeutic agents. In this study, we correlated the expression of autophagy-related proteins with the prognosis of MM.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this retrospective cohort study, we examined the expression of the autophagic markers BECLIN 1 and microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3) in 89 cases of MM biopsied from 2001 to 2004 at the Asan Medical Center. The association of the expression scores of these markers with clinical outcomes was assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with strong immunoreactivity to BECLIN 1 or LC3 had a significantly better overall survival (OS) than patients with negative to moderate immunoreactivity (p = 0.036 and 0.018, respectively). This was also true for disease-specific survival (DSS; p = 0.051 and 0.043, respectively). In addition, LC3 immunostaining remained an independent factor impacting OS (p = 0.028) and DSS (p = 0.020) after multivariate analysis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study suggest that higher immunoreactivity for autophagic markers in MM is associated with superior patient survival.
authors: Department of Pathology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea.
authors: Geunyoung
authors: G
authors: Jung
authors: Jin
authors: J
authors: Roh
authors: Hyangsin
authors: H
authors: Lee
authors: Minchan
authors: M
authors: Gil
authors: Doc Hyun
authors: DH
authors: Yoon
authors: Cheolwon
authors: C
authors: Suh
authors: Seongsoo
authors: S
authors: Jang
authors: Chan-Jeoung
authors: CJ
authors: Park
authors: Jooryung
authors: J
authors: Huh
authors: Chan-Sik
authors: CS
authors: Park
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D001343:Autophagy; D000071186:Beclin-1; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; C491997:BECN1 protein, human; D000071186:Beclin-1; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C477012:MAP1LC3A protein, human; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins