The expression and prognostic value of protein tyrosine kinase 6 in early-stage cervical squamous cell cancer.
BACKGROUND
Protein tyrosine kinase 6 (PTK6) is overexpressed in many epithelial tumors and predicts poor prognosis. However, PTK6 expression status and its role in cervical squamous cell cancer are unknown. This study aimed to investigate the expression level and clinical significance of PTK6 in early-stage cervical squamous cell cancer.


METHODS
Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blotting analysis were performed to detect PTK6 mRNA and protein expression levels in 10 freshly frozen, early-stage cervical squamous cell cancer specimens and adjacent non-tumorous cervical tissues. The expression of PTK6 was detected using immunohistochemical staining in 150 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded, early-stage cervical squamous cell cancer sections and 10 normal cervical tissue sections.


RESULTS
The mRNA and protein levels of PTK6 in cancer tissues were higher than those in adjacent non-tumorous cervical tissues. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that PTK6 was not expressed in normal cervical tissues but was overexpressed in the cytoplasm of cervical squamous cell cancer cells. The level of PTK6 expression was significantly associated with tumor grade (P = 0.020). The 5-year overall survival rate of patients with high PTK6 expression was lower than that of patients with low PTK6 expression (81.3% vs. 96.2%, P = 0.008). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that the expression level of PTK6 in cervical squamous cell cancer was an independent prognostic factor for patient survival (hazard ratio = 5.999, 95% confidence interval 1.622-22.191, P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
PTK6 is overexpressed in cervical squamous cell cancer. Increased PTK6 expression is associated with reduced 5-year overall survival. PTK6 expression is an independent prognostic predictor for cervical cancer.
Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P. R. China.|Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P. R. China.
Xiao-Jing
XJ
Wang
Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P. R. China.|Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P. R. China.
Ying
Y
Xiong
Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P. R. China.|Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P. R. China.
Ze-Biao
ZB
Ma
Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P. R. China. xiajch@sysucc.org.cn.|Department of Biotherapy, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P. R. China. xiajch@sysucc.org.cn.
Jian-Chuan
JC
Xia
Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P. R. China. liyf@sysucc.org.cn.|Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, Guangdong, P. R. China. liyf@sysucc.org.cn.
Yan-Fang
YF
Li
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000201:enzymology; D005260:Female; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018307:Neoplasms, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011505:Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; C088375:PTK6 protein, human
Cervical squamous cell cancer; Immunohistochemistry; PTK6; Prognosis