Background: Nogo-B was recently shown to be involved in proliferation, apoptosis and invasiveness of cancer cells, whereas its specific receptor (NgBR) was found to be up-regulated in estrogen receptor-α positive breast cancer. No data are currently available concerning their expression in non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC).
Materials and methods: Expression of Nogo isoforms and NgBR was studied in 191 NSCLC.
Results: Higher Nogo-A/B immunoreactivity was noted in cancer cells of squamous cell carcinomas (SQC) compared to adenocarcinomas (p<0.001). Stage II-IV tumors had the lowest Nogo-A/B expression (p<0.0001) compared to stage I cases. Nogo-A/B expression decreased with increasing SQC malignancy grade (p=0.026). Significant NgBR mRNA down-regulation was associated with larger primary tumor size (p=0.039), lymph node involvement (p=0.039) and advancement stage (p=0.0054). Low NgBR mRNA expression predicted poor patients outcome (p=0.029).
Conclusion: The current data may point to the involvement of Nogo isoforms and NgBR in the pathogenesis of NSCLC.
Keywords: Nogo; Nogo-B receptor; Non-small cell lung carcinoma; immunohistochemistry.
Copyright© 2014 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.