Tissue microarray immunohistochemical detection of brachyury is not a prognostic indicator in chordoma

PLoS One. 2013 Sep 23;8(9):e75851. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0075851. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Brachyury is a marker for notochord-derived tissues and neoplasms, such as chordoma. However, the prognostic relevance of brachyury expression in chordoma is still unknown. The improvement of tissue microarray technology has provided the opportunity to perform analyses of tumor tissues on a large scale in a uniform and consistent manner. This study was designed with the use of tissue microarray to determine the expression of brachyury. Brachyury expression in chordoma tissues from 78 chordoma patients was analyzed by immunohistochemical staining of tissue microarray. The clinicopathologic parameters, including gender, age, location of tumor and metastatic status were evaluated. Fifty-nine of 78 (75.64%) tumors showed nuclear staining for brachyury, and among them, 29 tumors (49.15%) showed 1+ (<30% positive cells) staining, 15 tumors (25.42%) had 2+ (31% to 60% positive cells) staining, and 15 tumors (25.42%) demonstrated 3+ (61% to 100% positive cells) staining. Brachyury nuclear staining was detected more frequently in sacral chordomas than in chordomas of the mobile spine. However, there was no significant relationship between brachyury expression and other clinical variables. By Kaplan-Meier analysis, brachyury expression failed to produce any significant relationship with the overall survival rate. In conclusion, brachyury expression is not a prognostic indicator in chordoma.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Age Factors
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism*
  • Chordoma / diagnosis*
  • Chordoma / metabolism
  • Female
  • Fetal Proteins / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / genetics
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Male
  • Prognosis
  • Sex Factors
  • T-Box Domain Proteins / metabolism*
  • Tissue Array Analysis

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Fetal Proteins
  • T-Box Domain Proteins
  • Brachyury protein

Grants and funding

This project was supported by a grant from the Stephan L.Harris Fund and the Jennifer Hunter Yates Foundation. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.