title: High expression of mitochondrial intermembrane chaperone TIMM9 represents a negative prognostic marker in gastric cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignant cancers worldwide. However, little is known about the molecular process underlying this disease and its progression. This study investigated correlations between the expression of a mitochondrial inner membrane protein translocase of inner mitochondrial membrane 9 homolog (TIMM9) and various clinicopathologic parameters as well as patients' survival.
  
  
  METHODS
  Gastric tissue samples were obtained from 140 patients with GC and expression levels of TIMM9 were analyzed through immunohistochemistry. Paired t tests were used to analyze the differences in the expression levels of TIMM9 in both tumor and nontumor tissues for each patient. Two-tailed χ2tests were performed to determine whether the differences in TIMM9 expression and clinicopathologic parameters were significant. Time-to-event endpoints for clinicopathologic parameters were plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method, and statistical significance was determined using univariate log-rank tests. Cox proportional hazard model was used for multivariate analysis to determine the independence of prognostic effects of TIMM9 expression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A borderline association was found between overexpression of TIMM9 and vascular invasion (p = 0.0887). Patients with high expression levels of TIMM9 achieved a significantly lower disease-free survival rate compared with those with low expression levels (p = 0.005). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that overexpression of TIMM9 was an independent prognostic marker for GC (p = 0.011).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overexpression of TIMM9 can be used as a marker to predict the outcome of patients with GC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Research, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chih-Chan
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Pathology, Wan Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chia-Lang
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Food Science and Technology, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ding-Ping
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Cosmeceutics, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Health and Nutrition Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan.
authors.forename: You-Cheng
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Hseu
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Research, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan; The Superintendent's Office, Chi Mei Hospital Chiali, Tainan, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yih-Huei
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Uen
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Research, Chi Mei Medical Center, Tainan, Taiwan; Department of Biotechnology, Chia Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan, Taiwan. Electronic address: d84306@yahoo.com.tw.
authors.forename: Kai-Yuan
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan. Electronic address: jann0921@yahoo.com.tw.
authors.forename: Yung-Chang
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D033681:Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D011379:Prognosis; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000473:pathology; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D033681:Mitochondrial Membrane Transport Proteins
keywords: gastric cancer; prognostic marker; survival