Decreased expression of 14-3-3σ is predictive of poor prognosis for patients with human uterine papillary serous carcinoma

Tohoku J Exp Med. 2013 Nov;231(3):193-9. doi: 10.1620/tjem.231.193.

Abstract

Uterine papillary serous carcinoma (UPSC) morphologically resembles ovarian serous carcinoma and is categorized as a type II endometrial cancer. UPSC comprises about 10% of all types of endometrial cancer and has an aggressive clinical course and a poor prognosis. The 14-3-3σ gene was originally discovered as a p53-inducible gene; its expression is induced by DNA damage in a p53-dependent manner, which leads to G2 arrest and repair of damaged DNA. Moreover, it has been reported that expression of 14-3-3σ is frequently lost in various types of human cancer, including ovarian cancer. We therefore examined the association between 14-3-3σ expression determined by immunohistochemistry and clinical outcomes of 51 patients with UPSC. UPSC was considered positive for 14-3-3σ when > 30% of tumor cells were stained with a specific antibody. Of these patients, 29 (58.7%) showed positive immunoreactivity for 14-3-3σ and 22 (41.3%) had decreased 14-3-3σ staining. Decreased immunoreactivity for 14-3-3σ was associated with stage (P = 0.001) and lymphovascular space involvement (P = 0.005). Moreover, decreased 14-3-3σ expression was an independent risk factor for reduced overall survival (P = 0.0416) in multivariate analysis. Direct bisulfite sequencing was performed to evaluate the methylation status of the 27 CpG islands in the promoter region and first exon of the 14-3-3σ gene. These CpG islands were hypermethylated in 30% of 14-3-3σ-positive UPSC and 80% of 14-3-3σ-negative UPSC, although the difference was not statistically significant. These findings suggest that decreased expression of immunoreactive 14-3-3σ may be a predictor of poor prognosis in patients with UPSC.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 14-3-3 Proteins / genetics
  • 14-3-3 Proteins / metabolism*
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism*
  • CpG Islands / genetics
  • Cystadenocarcinoma, Papillary / genetics
  • Cystadenocarcinoma, Papillary / metabolism*
  • Cystadenocarcinoma, Papillary / pathology
  • Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / genetics
  • Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / metabolism*
  • Cystadenocarcinoma, Serous / pathology
  • DNA Methylation / genetics
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Exoribonucleases / genetics
  • Exoribonucleases / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Middle Aged
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Prognosis
  • Recurrence
  • Uterine Neoplasms / genetics
  • Uterine Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Uterine Neoplasms / pathology
  • Uterus / metabolism
  • Uterus / pathology

Substances

  • 14-3-3 Proteins
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Exoribonucleases
  • SFN protein, human