Clinicopathological significance of podocalyxin and phosphorylated ezrin in uterine endometrioid adenocarcinoma
- Hironao Yasuoka1,
- Masahiko Tsujimoto2,
- Michiya Inagaki1,
- Rieko Kodama1,
- Hiromi Tsuji1,
- Yoshifumi Iwahashi1,
- Yasushi Mabuchi3,
- Kazuhiko Ino3,
- Tokio Sanke1,
- Yasushi Nakamura1
- 1Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
- 2Department of Pathology, Osaka Police Hospital, Tennouji-ku, Osaka, Japan
- 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wakayama Medical University, Wakayama, Japan
- Correspondence to Dr Yasushi Nakamura, Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, 811-1, Kimiidera, 641-8509 Wakayama City, Japan; ynakamur{at}wakayama-med.ac.jp
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Contributors HY conceived the study, participated in the design of the study, conducted and evaluated both the immunostainings, performed the statistical analysis and drafted the manuscript. MT and RK contributed to the design of the study, evaluated the immunostainings and helped to draft the manuscript. MI, HT, YI, YM and KI participated in the design and coordination of the study. TS contributed to the design of the study and interpretation of the results. YN participated in the design, evaluated both the immunostainings and helped to draft the manuscript.
- Accepted 25 September 2011
- Published Online First 12 March 2012
Abstract
Background Podocalyxin is an anti-adhesive glycoprotein that has been associated with highly aggressive forms of cancers. Podocalyxin increases the migration and invasive properties of cancer cells through its interaction with ezrin, which undergoes an increase in phosphorylation through podocalyxin.
Aims To study the roles of podocalyxin and phosphorylated ezrin (pEzrin) in uterine endometrioid adenocarcinoma (UEA).
Methods Using immunohistochemisty the authors investigated the expression of podocalyxin and pEzrin along with some well-known markers of tumour aggressiveness including p53, oestrogen receptor and Ki-67 in UEA.
Results Podocalyxin and pEzrin expression levels were positive in 36.1% (22 of 61 patients) and 50.8% (31 of 61 patients) of UEA cases, respectively. Further, podocalyxin expression was correlated with tumour grade (p=0.0001), FIGO stage (p=0.0062), p53 expression (p=0.0050) and Ki-67 index (p=0.0069). In addition, pEzrin expression was associated with FIGO stage (p=0.0231), p53 expression (p<0.0001) and Ki-67 index (p=0.0010). The expression of podocalyxin was also correlated with that of pEzrin (p=0.0102).
Conclusions These results suggest that overexpression of podocalyxin and pEzrin may indicate a more aggressive phenotype; thus, evaluation of these proteins may be useful in prediction of disease progression in UEA cases.
- Podocalyxin
- phosphorylated ezrin
- uterine endometrioid adenocarcinoma
- cancer research
- thyroid
- breast cancer
- metastasis
- tumour angiogenesis
Footnotes
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Competing interests None.
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Patient consent Obtained.
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Ethics approval The Wakayama Medical University Medical Ethics Committee.
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Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.
