Clinical Trials Study
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World J Gastroenterol. Sep 28, 2014; 20(36): 13172-13177
Published online Sep 28, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i36.13172
Negative methylation status of Vimentin predicts improved prognosis in pancreatic carcinoma
Yi-Feng Zhou, Wei Xu, Xia Wang, Jin-Shan Sun, Jing-Jing Xiang, Zhao-Shen Li, Xiao-Feng Zhang
Yi-Feng Zhou, Xia Wang, Jing-Jing Xiang, Xiao-Feng Zhang, Department of Digestive Medicine, The First People’s Hospital of Hangzhou, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, China
Yi-Feng Zhou, Jin-Shan Sun, Zhao-Shen Li, Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, The Second Military Medical University of Chinese PLA, Shanghai 200433, China
Wei Xu, Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary and Splenic Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of the Logistics University of the Chinese People’s Armed Police Force, Tianjin 300162, China
Author contributions: Zhou YF and Xu W performed the majority of the experiments; Wang X, Sun JS and Xiang JJ collected the clinical samples; Zhang XF performed the statistical analysis; Li ZS and Zhang XF designed the study and wrote the manuscript; Zhou YF and Xu W contributed equally to this work.
Supported by National Nature Science Foundation of China, No. 81001078
Correspondence to: Dr. Xiao-Feng Zhang, Department of Digestive Medicine, The First People’s Hospital of Hangzhou, Huansha Road 261, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, China. zxf837@tom.com
Telephone: +86-571-56008888 Fax: +86-571-87914773
Received: April 7, 2014
Revised: June 8, 2014
Accepted: June 26, 2014
Published online: September 28, 2014
Abstract

AIM: To determine the existence of a potential relationship between the methylation state of the Vimentin gene and its prognostic value in pancreatic cancer.

METHODS: Sixty-four primary tumor specimens and normal tissues were collected consecutively from pancreatic cancer patients during surgery at Hangzhou First People’s Hospital and Affiliated Hospital of the Logistics University of the Chinese People’s Armed Police Force. DNA was extracted from the samples and subsequently quantitative methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the Vimentin methylation status of the samples. All of the patients were followed up to December 2012. χ2 test, Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox regression statistical models were used.

RESULTS: Out of 64 pancreatic cancer tissues, 21 were marked as Vimentin methylation-positive, and 43 were marked as Vimentin methylation-negative. The location of pancreatic carcinoma was related to the Vimentin methylation state. The pathological T staging (P < 0.001), adjuvant chemotherapy (P = 0.003) and the Vimentin methylation state (P = 0.037) were independent prognostic factors.

CONCLUSION: In our study, Vimentin methylation status can predict the prognosis of pancreatic cancer patients. However, additional experiments and clinical trials are needed to accurately validate this observation.

Keywords: Vimentin, Methylation, Pancreatic carcinoma, Prognosis

Core tip: Vimentin is reported to be an important mesenchymal marker, and plays an important role in epithelial-mesenchymal transition in malignant tumors with regard to cellular adhesion, migration and signaling. In our study, we found that pathological T staging (P < 0.001), adjuvant chemotherapy (P = 0.003) and the Vimentin gene methylation state (P = 0.037) were independent prognostic factors. However, additional experiments and clinical trials are needed to accurately validate this observation.