Prognostic implications of ezrin and phosphorylated ezrin expression in non-small cell lung cancer.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

The cytoskeletal organizer ezrin is a member of the ezrin-radixin-moesin (ERM) family and plays important roles in not only cell motility, cell adhesion, and apoptosis, but also in various cell signaling pathways. Phosphorylation at Thr-567 and Tyr-353 are key regulatory events in the transition of the dormant to active form of ezrin. This study investigated the prognostic implications of ezrin and phosphorylated ezrin (p-ezrin) expression in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC).

METHODS:

Ezrin and p-ezrin protein expressions were examined by immunohistochemistry in 150 NSCLC and adjacent non-tumor tissues and 14 normal lung tissues. qRT-PCR was used to determine ezrin mRNA expression levels in fresh tissues. The correlations between overexpression of ezrin and p-ezrin and the clinicopathological features of NSCLC were analyzed. The survival rates were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method for 108 NSCLC cases.

RESULTS:

Ezrin and ezrinThr-567 proteins showed cytosolic and membranous staining patterns; however, ezrinTyr-353 protein only showed cytosolic staining. Ezrin and p-ezrin were significantly upregulated in NSCLC compared with the normal counterparts. Increased ezrin, ezrinThr-567, and ezrinTyr-353 levels were correlated with the late stage and poor differentiation of NSCLC. However, only ezrinThr-567 was correlated with the presence of lymph node metastasis. In regard to survival, only ezrinThr-567 was related with the overall survival time of patients with NSCLC, and both ezrin and ezrinThr-567 were associated with shortened survival time for patients with early stage NSCLC.

CONCLUSIONS:

Ezrin and p-ezrin, especially ezrinThr-567, may prove to be useful as a novel prognostic biomarker of NSCLC.

• Authors: Tiefeng Jin, Jingchun Jin, Xiangyu Li, Songnan Zhang, Yun Ho Choi, Yingshi Piao, Xionghu Shen, Zhenhua Lin
• Journal: BMC cancer (BMC Cancer) Vol. 14 Pg. 191 (Mar 15 2014) ISSN: 1471-2407 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 24629131 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Biomarkers, Tumor
• Cytoskeletal Proteins
• ezrin

Topics

• Biomarkers, Tumor (genetics, metabolism)
• Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung (diagnosis, pathology)
• Cell Differentiation
• Cytoskeletal Proteins (genetics, metabolism)
• Disease-Free Survival
• Female
• Gene Expression
• Humans
• Lung Neoplasms (diagnosis, pathology)
• Lymphatic Metastasis (diagnosis, pathology)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Neoplasm Staging
• Phosphorylation
• Prognosis