Open AccessB7‐H3 expression in gastric cancer: A novel molecular blood marker for detecting circulating tumor cells
Author(s) -
Arigami Takaaki,
Uenosono Yoshikazu,
Hirata Munetsugu,
Yanagita Shigehiro,
Ishigami Sumiya,
Natsugoe Shoji
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
cancer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.035
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1349-7006
pISSN - 1347-9032
DOI - 10.1111/j.1349-7006.2011.01877.x
Subject(s) - cancer , immunocytochemistry , medicine , circulating tumor cell , tumor progression , pathology , stage (stratigraphy) , immunohistochemistry , clinical significance , immune system , oncology , biology , immunology , cancer research , metastasis , paleontology
The clinical significance of B7‐H3 expression in gastric cancer remains unclear, although the B7 ligand family plays a critical role in the T cell‐mediated immune response. We therefore investigated B7‐H3 expression as a blood marker of circulating tumor cells and determined correlations with tumor progression in patients with gastric cancer. B7‐H3 expression in gastric cell lines was initially evaluated by immunocytochemistry. Furthermore, we used quantitative RT‐PCR to assess B7‐H3 mRNA expression in four cell lines and in 95 blood specimens from patients with gastric cancer, as well as in 21 samples of peripheral blood lymphocytes from healthy volunteers. B7‐H3 expression in cell lines was identified by immunocytochemistry and quantitative RT‐PCR. Blood specimens from patients with gastric cancer contained significantly more copies of B7‐H3 mRNA than those from healthy volunteers without cancer ( P < 0.0001). Levels of B7‐H3 expression significantly correlated with overall stage ( P = 0.013). The 5‐year survival rate was significantly lower in patients with high B7‐H3 expression than with low expression ( P = 0.02). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that B7‐H3 expression was an independent prognostic factor ( P = 0.046). Our results indicate that B7‐H3 appears to be a useful blood marker for predicting tumor progression in gastric cancer. ( Cancer Sci 2011; 102: 1019–1024)