NF45 overexpression is associated with poor prognosis and enhanced cell proliferation of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
NF45, also referred to as nuclear factor of activated T cells, has been reported to promote the progression of multiple cancer types. However, the expression and physiological significance of NF45 in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remain largely elusive. In this study, we investigated the clinical relevance and potential role of NF45 expression in PDAC development. Western blot analysis revealed that NF45 was remarkably upregulated in PDAC tissues, compared with the adjacent non-tumorous ones. In addition, the expression of NF45 in 122 patients with PDAC was evaluated using immunohistochemistry. In this way, we found that NF45 was abundantly expressed in PDAC tissues, and the expression of NF45 was correlated with tumor size (p = 0.007), histological differentiation (p = 0.033), and TNM stage (p = 0.001). Importantly, patients with low levels of NF45 expression exhibited better postoperative prognosis as compared with those with high NF45 expression. Furthermore, using PDAC cell cultures, we found that interference of NF45 expression using siRNA oligos suppressed PDAC cell proliferation and retarded cell cycle progression. Moreover, depletion of NF45 impaired the levels of cellular cyclin E and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Conversely, overexpression of NF45 facilitated the cell growth and accelerated cell cycle progression. Our results establish NF45 as an important indicator of PDAC prognosis with potential utility as a therapeutic target in this lethal disease.
Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China.|Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory for Inflammation and Molecular Drug Target, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China.
Chunhua
C
Wan
Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China.
Chen
C
Gong
Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China.
Li
L
Ji
Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory for Inflammation and Molecular Drug Target, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China.
Xiaorong
X
Liu
Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory for Inflammation and Molecular Drug Target, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China.
Yayun
Y
Wang
Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory for Inflammation and Molecular Drug Target, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China.
Liang
L
Wang
Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory for Inflammation and Molecular Drug Target, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China.
Mengting
M
Shao
Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory for Inflammation and Molecular Drug Target, Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China.
Linlin
L
Yang
Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China.
Shaoqing
S
Fan
Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China.
Yin
Y
Xiao
Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China.
Xiaotong
X
Wang
Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China.
Manhua
M
Li
Department of Gastroenterology, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China. zhougx@ntu.edu.cn.
Guoxiong
G
Zhou
Department of General Surgery, Nantong University Cancer Hospital, Nantong, 226001, Jiangsu, China. zhangyix0513@163.com.
Yixin
Y
Zhang
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D002453:Cell Cycle; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D019927:Cyclin E / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051903:Nuclear Factor 45 Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D034622:RNA Interference; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013997:Time Factors; D014162:Transfection; D015854:Up-Regulation
D019927:Cyclin E; C494013:ILF2 protein, human; D051903:Nuclear Factor 45 Protein; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen
Cell proliferation; NF45; Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC); Prognosis