Expression levels of caspase-3 and gasdermin E and their involvement in the occurrence and prognosis of lung cancer

Background: Pyroptosis plays a dual role in the development of cancer and malignancy; as such, it may potentially be a new target for cancer treatment. However, the inflammatory response to pyroptosis may have adverse effects on the body. The roles of gasdermin E (GSDME), caspases, and related proteins associated with pyroptosis in cancer remain controversial.

Aim: The goal of this study was to determine whether the expression levels of caspase-3 and GSDME affect the clinical stage, pathological grade, or survival prognosis of patients with lung cancer.

Methods: We examined the protein levels of GSDME, caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9 in lung tissue samples from 100 patients with lung cancer by using immunohistochemistry.

Results: We found that GSDME, caspase-3, and caspase-8 were more highly expressed in tumor tissues than in adjacent normal tissues. Moreover, we found that GSDME could serve as a prognostic factor as there was a positive correlation between its expression level and the postoperative survival rate of patients with lung cancer.

Conclusions: GSDME may be an independent factor affecting the prognosis of patients with lung cancer. However, the role of GSDME and its related proteins in cancer requires further research.