Expression and prognostic significance of centromere protein A in human lung adenocarcinoma

Lung Cancer. 2012 Aug;77(2):407-14. doi: 10.1016/j.lungcan.2012.04.007. Epub 2012 Apr 28.

Abstract

Background: Centromere protein A (CENP-A), one of the fundamental components of the human active kinetochore, is frequently upregulated in many cancers and plays important roles in cell cycle regulation, cell survival, and genetic stability. The aim of the present study was to explore the expression and prognostic significance of CENP-A in lung adenocarcinoma.

Experimental design: The expression of CENP-A was detected in 20 fresh human lung adenocarcinoma specimens and corresponding non-tumorous lung tissues by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blotting analysis. Using immunohistochemistry, we analyzed CENP-A protein expression in additional 309 lung adenocarcinomas. The clinicopathological and prognostic significance of CENP-A expression was analyzed.

Results: RT-PCR and Western blotting analysis revealed an enhanced expression of CENP-A in lung adenocarcinomas relative to adjacent non-tumorous lung tissues at both transcriptional and translational levels. Immunohistochemistry showed that 146 of 309 lung adenocarcinomas (47.3%) had high expression of CENP-A. CENP-A overexpression was significantly correlated with pathological grade (P=0.009), pT status (P=0.017), pN status (P=0.002), pleural invasion (P=0.013), high Ki-67 expression (P=0.003), and P53 positivity (P=0.001). Patients with high CENP-A expression had shorter overall survival time compared with those with low CENP-A expression. Multivariate analysis identified CENP-A as an independent prognostic factor for lung adenocarcinoma.

Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that elevated CENP-A expression is closely associated with lung adenocarcinoma progression and has an independent prognostic value in predicting overall survival for patients with lung adenocarcinoma.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / genetics*
  • Adenocarcinoma / mortality
  • Adenocarcinoma / pathology
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Autoantigens / genetics*
  • Autoantigens / metabolism
  • Centromere Protein A
  • Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / genetics*
  • Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / metabolism
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Lung Neoplasms / mortality
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neoplasm Grading
  • Neoplasm Staging
  • Prognosis
  • Risk Factors
  • Survival Analysis

Substances

  • Autoantigens
  • CENPA protein, human
  • Centromere Protein A
  • Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone