Up-regulation of Tim-3 is associated with poor prognosis of patients with colon cancer.
Tim-3 (T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain 3), belonging to the member of the novel Tim family, has been confirmed that it plays a critical negative role in regulating the immune responses against viral infection and carcinoma. Recently, it has also been reported that the over-expression of Tim-3 is associated with poor prognosis in solid tumors. However, the role of Tim-3 in colorectal cancer remains largely unknown. In the current study, we aim to investigate the expression of Tim-3 in colorectal carcinoma and discuss the relationship between Tim-3 expression and colon cancer prognosis, thus speculating the possible role of Tim-3 in colon cancer progression. Colon cancer tissues and paired normal tissue were obtained from 201 patients with colon cancer for preparation of tissue microarray. Tim-3 expression was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining. The Tim-3 expression level was evaluated by q-RT-PCR, western blot and immunocytochemistry in four colon cancer cell lines (HT-29, HCT116, LoVo, SW620). Tim-3 was expressed in 92.5% tumor tissue samples and 86.5% corresponding normal tissue samples. Expression of Tim-3 was significantly higher in tumor tissues than in normal tissues (P < 0.0001). Tim-3 expression in colon cancer tissues is in correlation with colon cancer lymphatic metastasis and TNM (P < 0.0001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that Tim-3 expression could be a potential independent prognostic factor for colon cancer patients (P < 0.0001). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis result showed that patients with higher Tim-3 expression had a significantly shorter survival time than those with lower Tim-3 expression patients. Our results indicated that Tim-3 might participate in the tumorgenesis of colon cancer and Tim-3 expression might be a potential independent prognostic factor for patients with colorectal cancer.
Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Taizhou Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University Linhai, Zhejiang, China.
Encheng
E
Zhou
Ningbo University School of Medicine Ningbo, Zhejiang, China.
Qing
Q
Huang
Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Taizhou Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University Linhai, Zhejiang, China.
Ji
J
Wang
Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Taizhou Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University Linhai, Zhejiang, China.
Chengfeng
C
Fang
Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Taizhou Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University Linhai, Zhejiang, China.
Leilei
L
Yang
Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Taizhou Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University Linhai, Zhejiang, China.
Min
M
Zhu
Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Taizhou Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University Linhai, Zhejiang, China.
Jianhui
J
Chen
Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Taizhou Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University Linhai, Zhejiang, China.
Lihua
L
Chen
Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Taizhou Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University Linhai, Zhejiang, China.
Milian
M
Dong
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D045325:HCT116 Cells; D019073:HT29 Cells; D000072597:Hepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 2; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis; D015854:Up-Regulation
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C448908:HAVCR2 protein, human; D000072597:Hepatitis A Virus Cellular Receptor 2; D008565:Membrane Proteins
Tim-3; colon cancer; overall survival; prognosis