Phophorylated Akt protein expression in non-small cell lung cancer

Abstract

表皮生长因子受体（EGFR）信号传导通路下游分子Akt的激活在肺癌进展的过程中有重要作用,但磷酸化Akt蛋白的表达是否与EGFR表达存在相关性以及是否能提示患者的预后目前尚无定论。本研究旨在评价国人非小细胞肺癌组织中磷酸化Akt蛋白表达的意义。方法 应用组织微阵列和免疫组织化学技术检测167例NSCLC手术标本中磷酸化Akt蛋白的表达。结果 磷酸化Akt蛋白在NSCLC中的阳性表达率为52.1%（87/167）,阳性表达率与性别、发病年龄、吸烟情况、病理类型、分化程度、病理分期及预后之间的相关性无统计学显著意义（P > 0.05）,并且磷酸化Akt与表皮生长因子受体蛋白表达之间的相关性亦无统计学意义（P=0.122）。结论 国人非小细胞肺癌组织中磷酸化Akt阳性表达与患者临床病理特征无明显相关性,并且磷酸化Akt蛋白对患者预后无提示意义。

Background and objective The activation of epidermal growth factor receptor （EGFR） downstream molecule Akt plays an important role in lung carcinogenesis and tumor progression. The aim of this study is to evaluate the association of phosphorylated Akt （p-Akt） expression with EGFR expression and survival in non-small cell lung cancer （NSCLC） patients. Methods p-Akt and EGFR expressions were detected by immunohistochemistry in 167 NSCLC samples constructed into tissue microarray. Results p-Akt protein positively expressed in 52.1% （87/167） samples. There were no statistically significant association between p-Akt protein expression and gender, age, smoking status, histology, differentiation or pathological stage （P > 0.05）. Spearman correlation anylasis failed to show association of positive p-Akt with EGFR protein expression （P=0.122）. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed both of the positive p-Akt expression and p-Akt/EGFR co-expression had no impact on the patients’ survival （P=0.903 and P=0.894 respectively）. Cox regression anylasis indicated that survival time correlated with tumor differentiation and pathological stage （P=0.034 and P=0.003 respectively）. Conclusion In NSCLC patients, positive p-Akt expression does not correlate with any clinicopathological features and has no impact on survival.