Abstract:
Objective This study aims to investigate the expression and clinicopathologic significance of the S 100A9 protein in gastric cancer (GC).
Methods Differential expression of proteins between GC and paraneoplastic gastric mucosa (GM) tissues was quantitatively determined using proteomics. The S100A9 protein level was examined using western blot analysis. The S 100A9 protein expression in GC, GM, and lymph node (LN) of primarily gastric carcinomatous metastasis was determined using immunohistochemistry (IHC). The relationship between S100A9 protein expression and the clinicopathologic parameters of GC was analyzed.
Results Among the 78 differential proteins identified through proteomics, S 100A9 protein expression was clearly upregulated in GC compared with the GM (1:0.09), which was confirmed through western blot analysis (P < 0.01). The IHC assay showed the positive expression of 23 S100A9 proteins (32.86 %) among 70 normal GC samples, 72 (61.02 %) among 118 GM samples, and 29 (82.86 %) among 35 LN samples. Compared with GM, S100A9 expression was significantly increased in GC and LN (P < 0.01). S100A9 expression was upregulated in LN compared with GC (P < 0.05). The S100A9 expression level in GC was correlated with LN metastasis, histologic differentiation, depth of invasion, and TNM stage (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), but not correlated with the patient age and gender (P > 0.05).
Conclusion S100A9 protein overexpression is correlated with GC carcinogenesis, invasion, and metastasis and it may promote GC.