GATA6 predicts prognosis and hepatic metastasis of colorectal cancer

Oncol Rep. 2013 Sep;30(3):1355-61. doi: 10.3892/or.2013.2544. Epub 2013 Jun 19.

Abstract

Liver metastasis is a major cause of mortality for colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. GATA binding protein 6 (GATA6), a zinc-finger transcription factor, is expressed in the colorectal epithelium. We investigated the clinical significance of GATA6 and its role in invasion and metastasis in CRC. Expression of GATA6 in 89 cancerous, 35 adjacent normal and 39 liver metastatic samples from 89 CRC patients undergoing surgical resection was detected by immunohistochemical (IHC) methods. The effect of GATA6 on invasion and metastasis was assessed in CRC cells by shRNA lentivirus or expressed-plasmid transfection. We found that GATA6 expression was significantly higher in liver metastatic tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues. Aberrant GATA6 expression in CRC was associated with liver metastasis. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed GATA6 expression correlated with poor overall survival (OS) in CRC. The cell invasion and migration of established CRC cell lines were decreased by GATA6 knockdown and enhanced by GATA6 overexpression in vitro. Thus, aberrant expression of GATA6 correlates with poor prognosis and liver metastasis in CRC.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Movement*
  • Cell Proliferation*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / mortality
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • GATA6 Transcription Factor / antagonists & inhibitors
  • GATA6 Transcription Factor / genetics
  • GATA6 Transcription Factor / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Liver / pathology
  • Liver Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Liver Neoplasms / mortality
  • Liver Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Lymphatic Metastasis
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Prognosis
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
  • Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Survival Rate

Substances

  • GATA6 Transcription Factor
  • GATA6 protein, human
  • RNA, Messenger
  • RNA, Small Interfering