Background and objective: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with high morbidity and mortality is the most common types of lung cancer. beta-arrestin 2 is a kind of soluble protein regulating signal transduction mediated by G protein coupling receptor. The aim of this research is to evaluate the clinical significance of β-arrestin 2 expression in the serum of NSCLC patients.
Methods: The clinical and follow-up data of 20 healthy candidates and 67 patients diagnosed with NSCLC in Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center from January 2005 to December 2006 was retrospectively analyzed. ELISA was applied to detect the expression of beta-arrestin 2.
Results: The serum level of β-arrestin 2 in NSCLC patients were all Significantly lower than those in healthy controls (P<0.001, P<0.001, P<0.001). The serum level of β-arrestin 2 in stage I NSCLC patients were higher than those in stage III as well as in stage IV (P<0.001, P<0.001). No statistical difference of β-arrestin 2' serum level was found between with stage III and stage IV patients (P=0.273). Univariate prognostic factor analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method indicated patients' prognosis with high serum level of β-arrestin 2 was better than patients with low and middle (P<0.001, P<0.001). The serum level of β-arrestin 2 and the stage of NSCLC signally affected prognosis in COX regression model (P=0.003, P=0.004).
Conclusion: The serum level of β-arrestin 2 had significant difference between NSCLC patients and healthy controls, likewise between the early and advanced NSCLC patients. The serum level of β-arrestin 2 affected NSCLC patients' prognosis.
背景与目的: 非小细胞肺癌（non-small cell lung cancer, NSCLC）是肺癌中最常见的类型，具有较高的发病率及病死率。β-arrestin 2是一种介导受体脱敏的重要可溶性蛋白质，在G蛋白偶联受体介导的信号转导中具有重要调节作用。本研究旨在探讨β-arrestin 2在NSCLC患者血清中的表达，并探讨其临床意义。
方法: 选取留有血清标本的2005年1月-2006年12月于中山大学肿瘤防治中心治疗并确诊的NSCLC患者67例及正常体检者20例，采用ELISA方法测定选取血清标本中β-arrestin 2蛋白的表达情况，并对相应病例的临床及随访资料进行回顾性分析。
结果: NSCLC患者组别均较正常人组别血清β-arrestin 2浓度低（P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.001）；同时Ⅰ期患者组别较Ⅲ期、Ⅳ期患者组别血清β-arrestin 2浓度高（P < 0.001, P < 0.001）；而Ⅲ期与Ⅳ期患者组别血清β-arrestin 2浓度无差异（P=0.273）。Kaplan-Meier分析显示β-arrestin 2高表达患者较中、低表达患者预后更好（P < 0.001, P < 0.001）。COX回归分析显示，β-arrestin 2浓度和肿瘤分期对预后具有明显意义（P=0.003, P=0.004）。
结论: β-arrestin 2在正常人和NSCLC患者、不同病理分期NSCLC患者血清中浓度有差异。血清β-arrestin 2浓度影响NSCLC患者预后。