title: Expression pattern and prognostic significance of claudin 1, 4 and 7 in pancreatic cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tight junctions (TJs) organise paracellular permeability and they have an important role in epithelial and endothelial cell polarity and permanence of barrier function. It has been demonstrated that the Claudin family constitutes an important component of them. In this study, we assessed expression patterns of of Claudin1, 4 and 7 and whether they have any relation with prognosis in patients with pancreatic cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Expression patterns of Claudin 1,4 and 7 were examined by immunohistochemistry in 25 patients with a histopathological diagnosis of pancreatic cancer using a semiquantitative scoring of the extent and intensity of staining. After grouping the staining scores as low (final score 0-2) and high (final score 3-9) the relation between expression of Claudin 1,4 and 7 and survival was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant relation between expression of Claudin 1,4 and 7 and gender and stage. No statistically significant relation was found between Claudin 1 and 4 expression and survival whereas a statistically significant relation was found between decrease in Claudin 7 expression and decrease in survival.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Claudins have important functions other than their popular function known as adhesion. Supporting this hypothesis, we found a statistically significant relationship between increased Claudin 7 expression and increased survival time, and this suggests that Claudin 7 may exert different tumorigenic effects in pancreatic cancer other than its well- known adhesion effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Antalya Education and Research Hospital, Antalya, Turkey E-mail : arsi75@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Arsenal Sezgin
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Alikanoglu
authors.forename: Seyda
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gunduz
authors.forename: Ozlem
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Demirpence
authors.forename: Dinc
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Suren
authors.forename: Umut Riza
authors.initials: UR
authors.lastname: Gunduz
authors.forename: Cem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sezer
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yildiz
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yildirim
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D062445:Claudin-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D062506:Claudin-4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D057167:Claudins / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: C473255:CLDN7 protein, human; D062445:Claudin-1; D062506:Claudin-4; D057167:Claudins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins