Premium
Nuclear localization of 14‐3‐3epsilon inversely correlates with poor long‐term survival of patients with colorectal cancer
Author(s) -
Wang Hui,
Huang Haoran,
Li Weidong,
Jin Xuejun,
Zeng Jian,
Liu Yawei,
Gu Ye,
Sun Xuegang,
Wen Ge,
Ding Yanqing,
Zhao Liang
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of surgical oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.201
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1096-9098
pISSN - 0022-4790
DOI - 10.1002/jso.22152
Subject(s) - colorectal cancer , medicine , immunohistochemistry , clinical significance , oncology , metastasis , western blot , cancer , cancer research , biomarker , pathology , suppressor , lymph node , biology , gene , biochemistry
Background 14‐3‐3ε regulates diverse biological processes and plays a significant role in the formation of malignant tumors. However, the localization and clinical significance of 14‐3‐3ε in colorectal cancer (CRC) have not been elucidated. Methods We investigated 14‐3‐3ε expression and its prognostic significance in CRC. CRC surgical samples were taken from 137 clinicopathologically characterized CRC cases. 14‐3‐3ε expression was tested by immunohistochemical assay. Separate Western blot of nuclear and cytosol preparations confirmed nuclear localization of 14‐3‐3ε protein. Results Nuclear expression of 14‐3‐3ε was observed in 76.9% of normal colorectal tissue and 78.8% of all CRC samples. Statistical analysis showed that there was significant difference of nuclear 14‐3‐3ε expression in patients categorized according to lymph node metastasis. A trend was identified between decreasing nuclear 14‐3‐3ε expression in CRC and worsening clinical prognosis. Multivariate analysis showed that loss of nuclear 14‐3‐3ε expression was an independent prognostic indicator for patient's survival. Conclusions The current data provide evidence that 14‐3‐3ε is not exclusively a cytosolic protein, but is also detectable within the nucleus. Our results suggest that nuclear 14‐3‐3ε as a suppressor may serve as important biomarker of tumor metastasis. Loss of nuclear 14‐3‐3ε is closely associated with poor overall survival in CRC patients. J. Surg. Oncol. 2012; 106:224–231. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.