Evidence-Based Medicine
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World J Gastroenterol. Dec 28, 2014; 20(48): 18346-18353
Published online Dec 28, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i48.18346
Zinc finger protein 139 expression in gastric cancer and its clinical significance
Yong Li, Qun Zhao, Li-Qiao Fan, Li-Li Wang, Bi-Bo Tan, Yan-Li Leng, Yu Liu, Dong Wang
Yong Li, Qun Zhao, Li-Qiao Fan, Li-Li Wang, Bi-Bo Tan, Yan-Li Leng, Yu Liu, Dong Wang, Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Hospital, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050011, Hebei Province, China
Author contributions: Li Y designed research; Zhao Q, Fan LQ, Wang LL and Wang D collected clinical data and performed the research; Tan BB, Leng YL and Liu Y performed the experiments; Tan BB and Leng YL analyzed the data; Li Y, Tan BB and Leng YL wrote the paper.
Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 81072033 and No. 81372580; Natural Science Foundation of Hebei Province, No. C2010000619; Extra Characteristic Foundation of Colleges and Universities in Hebei Province, No. [2005]52; and the Health Department of Hebei Province, No. 20110460
Correspondence to: Yong Li, Professor, Department of General Surgery, The Fourth Hospital, Hebei Medical University, Jiankang Road 12, Shijiazhuang 050011, Hebei Province, China. li_yong_hbth@126.com
Telephone: +86-311-86095678 Fax: +86-311-86077634
Received: April 7, 2014
Revised: May 30, 2014
Accepted: July 16, 2014
Published online: December 28, 2014
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the expression of zinc finger protein 139 (ZNF139) in gastric cancer (GC), and to analyze its clinical significance.

METHODS: A total of 108 patients who were diagnosed with GC and underwent surgery between January 2005 and March 2007 were enrolled in this study. Gastric tumor specimens and paired tumor-adjacent tissues were collected and paraffin-embedded, and the clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis were recorded. The expression of ZNF139, Bcl-2, Bax, and caspase-3 were determined by immunohistochemistry, and apoptosis was assessed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling. SPSS 13.0 software was used for data processing and analyses, and significance was determined at P < 0.05.

RESULTS: The expression of ZNF139 was stronger in tumors than in tumor-adjacent tissues (66.67% vs 44.44%; P < 0.01). Overexpression of ZNF139 correlated with tumor differentiation, invasion depth, clinical stage, lymphatic metastasis, and blood vessel invasion (all Ps < 0.05). Patients with overexpression of ZNF139 had a poorer prognosis (P < 0.01), and overexpression of ZNF139 was an independent factor for the prognosis of GC patients by a Cox survival analysis (P = 0.02). A negative relationship between ZNF139 and the apoptosis index was observed (r = -0.686; P < 0.01). The expression of Bcl-2 in GC was stronger than in tumor-adjacent tissues (66.67% vs 41.67%), whereas the expression levels of Bax and caspase-3 were lower in primary tumors (54.63% and 47.22%, respectively) than in tumor-adjacent tissues (73.15% and 73.15%, respectively) (all Ps < 0.05). The expression of ZNF139 negatively correlated with caspase-3 (r = -0.370; P < 0.01). The expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax were also negatively correlated (r = -0.231; P = 0.02). The expressions of caspase-3 and Bax protein were positively correlated (r = 0.217; P = 0.024).

CONCLUSION: ZNF139 is related to clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis of GC. Furthermore, it is overexpressed and involved in apoptosis in GC tissues by regulating caspase-3.

Keywords: Apoptosis, Clinicopathologic characteristics, Gastric cancer, Prognosis, Zinc finger protein 139

Core tip: We investigated the expression of zinc finger protein 139 (ZNF139) in gastric cancer (GC), and analyzed its clinical significance. The results show that ZNF139 is overexpressed in GC tissues, and is related to clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis of GC. ZNF139 may be involved in apoptosis in GC tissues by regulating caspase-3.