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Identification of NUCKS1 as a colorectal cancer prognostic marker through integrated expression and copy number analysis
Author(s) -
Kikuchi Akifumi,
Ishikawa Toshiaki,
Mogushi Kaoru,
Ishiguro Megumi,
Iida Satoru,
Mizushima Hiroshi,
Uetake Hiroyuki,
Tanaka Hiroshi,
Sugihara Kenichi
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.27911
Subject(s) - colorectal cancer , immunohistochemistry , metastasis , gene expression , biomarker , biology , copy number variation , candidate gene , cancer research , real time polymerase chain reaction , cancer , gene , gene expression profiling , reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction , pathology , medicine , genetics , immunology , genome
Abstract We identified a novel prognostic biomarker for the distant metastasis of colorectal cancer (CRC) using comprehensive combined copy number and gene expression analyses. Expression of mRNA in CRC tissue was profiled in 115 patients using an Affymetrix Gene Chip, and copy number profiles were generated for 122 patients using an Affymetrix 250K Sty array. Genes showing both upregulated expression and copy number gains in cases involving distant CRC metastasis were extracted as candidate biomarkers. Expression of the candidate gene mRNA was validated in 86 patients using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assays. Expression of the protein encoded by the candidate gene was assessed using immunohistochemical staining of tissue from 269 patients. The relationship between protein expression and clinicopathologic features was also examined. Following combined copy number and gene expression analyses, three genes linked to distant metastasis of CRC were extracted as candidate biomarkers. The expression of NUCKS1, reportedly overexpressed in several cancers other than CRC, was significantly higher in CRC tissue than in normal tissue. Overexpression of the NUCKS1 protein in CRC cells was found to be associated with significantly worse overall survival and relapse‐free survival, indicating that NUCKS1 is an independent risk factor for CRC recurrence. The overexpression of NUCKS1 in cancer cells could be used as a CRC prognostic marker and might also be a target for treatment of this disease.