| Objective Proprotein convertases(PCs)are associated with the biological behavior and prognosis of cancer.However,the role of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9(PCSK9)in gastric carcinoma carcinogenesis has yet to be elucidated.This study aimed to determine the relationships of PCSK9 expression with clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis in gastric carcinoma.Methods Specimens of gastric cancer tissues and tumor-adjacent tissue without histological pathology(the distance between tumor and normal tissues was no less than 5 cm and further referred to as normal tissue)were taken from 129 patients who after potentially curative gastrectomy procedures at Binzhou Medical University Hospital from January 2015 to September 2016 in this study.In this study,PCSK9 expression was detected by real-time quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR),immunohistochemistry and Western blot in gastric cancer tissues and adjacent non-tumor tissues.Results We found that the expression levels of PCSK9 messenger RNA(mRNA)and protein in gastric cancer tissues were both higher than those in adjacent non-tumor tissues(p<0.001).And the staining results were compared with clinicopathological characteristics and to the outcome of 129 patients.PCSK9 expression was associated with the depth of tumor invasion,presence of lymph node metastasis and advanced UICC stage,and was significantly between ? stage,? stage and ? stage,respectively(I stage vs ? stage P<0.01,I stage vs ? stage P<0.01,? stage vs ? stage P<0.05).While its expression was not statistically signific with sex(p>0.05),age at surgery(p>0.05),and size of the primary tumor(p>0.05).Conclusion We deduced that PCSK9 expression may be a promising prognostic factor of survival in patients.Our study provided evidence that the expression of PCSK9 is elevated in gastric cancer and is related to tumor invasion and metastasis.The expression of the protein may serve as a potential prognostic biomarker in gastric carcinogenesis. |
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