To investigate the expression of Ataxin-3 in human gastric cancer tissues and cell lines, and explore its clinical pathologic significance.
Methods: The expression of Ataxin-3 in gastric cancer (n=536) and noncancerous gastric mucosa (n=312) was determined by immunohistochemistry and correlated to clinicopathologic features such as histologic differentiation and tumor size. The expression of Ataxin-3 protein in the human gastric cancer cell lines MKN45, SGC7901 and in normal human gastric epithelial cells (GES-1) was also evaluated by Western blot analysis. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to determine Ataxin-3 mRNA expression in human gastric cancer cell lines and tissues.
Results: The expression of Ataxin-3 protein was decreased in the gastric cancer compared to noncancerous gastric tissue, and correlated with tumor size, Lauren classification, histologic differentiation, and mutant p53 protein (P < 0.05). Similarly, Ataxin-3 mRNA expression was decreased in the gastric cancers compared to the noncancerous gastric tissue. Ataxin-3 protein and mRNA expression was lower in MKN45, SGC7901 cells than in the normal GES-1 cells.
Conclusion: Decreased expression of Ataxin-3 may play an important role in gastric carcinogenesis and development of gastric cancer.
Keywords: Ataxin-3; clinicopathologic features; gastric cancer.