The Expression And Clinical Significance Of α-tubulin In Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Objective: Microtubules, which are basically built by microtubules areα/βtubulin dimers and microtubules- ssociated proteins (MAP), are one of the constitution of the cytoskeletal. Microtubules dynamics play a critical role in cell division and motility is very important, and affected byα/βtubulin, MAP, tubulin post-translational modification(PTM) and others. Microtubules and tubulin also involve tumor cell division, motility and cytosketetal. Many researches showed anti-microtubules agant bound to tubulin, blocked mitosis and induced cell apoptosis, then inhibited the tumor growth. Tubulin expression plays an important role in tumor occurrence, development , aggression and metastasis. It is a factor of both prediction and prognosis in cancer studies. As the guidance for target and individual therapy. We sought to determine theα-tubulin and clinic expression in non-small cell lung cancer by tissue array and immunohistochemistry, to investigate the expression and the clinical significance in non-small cell lung cancer and to provide evidence for target and individual treatment.Methods: These 91 cases were got from NSCLC patients, who have been operated with complete resection between Jan. 1998 and Dec. 2003, followed up to Apr. 2008. We collected the information of baseline factors, such as gender, age, histology type, tumor size, lymph nodes, to assess the patient's TNM stages .There are 67 males and 24 females. 30 patients were≤55 years while 61 were elder, the average age is 60±1 years old.[0] 36 patients is non-somkers, 55 patients had smoking history. 42 cases of stageⅠ, 25 cases of stageⅡ, 24 cases of stageⅢ. 3 cases of T1, 66 cases of T2,16 cases of T3, 6 cases of T4. 50 cases of no lymph node metastasis, 27 cases in N1, 14 cases in N2. 53 cases with squamous carcinoma, 38 cases with adenocarcinoma. We did tissue array and immunohistochemistry for these patients. Histochemical score(H-score) was calculated by summing the products of staining in tensities(0-3) and distribution(1-100%). H-scors ranged from 0 to 300,≥200 means expression, analyzed byχ2 test or Fisher exact test, Survival curves were genenrated by the Kaplan-Merier method, using log-rank test. p<0.05 is significant.Results:α-tubulin was expressed in non-small cell lung cancer, over-expression percentage is38.46%(35/91), lower-expression percentage is 61.54%.α-tubulin over-expression was associated with age, stage and histology type.α-tubulin over-expression included more patients≤55 years old than >55 years old(56.7% versus 29.5%, p=0.012), more with squamous histology than adenocarcinoma histology(47.2% versus 26.3%,p=0.044), more patients of stageⅠand stageⅡthan stageⅢ(44.8% versus 20.8%,p=0.039).α-tubulin over-expression median survival is 57 months,lower-expression median survival is 35 months,α-tubulin over-expression have favor outcome, but not reached statistically significant(p=0.082). Use of the stratified Kaplan-Merier model showed: In younger than 55 years old patients,α-tubulin over-expression median survival is 76 months ,lower-expression median survival is 28 months,α-tubulin over-expression was associated with inferior outcome, The result was statistically significant for overall survival ( p=0.011 ) , in squamous histology patients,α-tubulin over-expression median survival is 80 months,lower-expression median survival is 37 months,α-tubulin over-expression was associated with favor outcome, The result was statistically significant for overall surviva(lp=0.023).Conclusion:α-tubulin was expressed in NSCLC, over-expression by 39.13%. The over-expression ofα-tubulin was not associated with Gender, smoking,tumor size and lymph nodes.α-tubulin over-expression was associated with more patients who were of≤55 years old, and it was connected with more patients of early stage and squamous histology.α-tubulin over-expression was related with prolonged survival, but not reach statistically significant.α-tubulin over-expression was associated with favor outcome of patients≤55 years old patient , squamous histology have the same outcome,α-tubulin over-expression is an benefit factor of favor survival in NSCLC.