Abstract
Abstract Background: PKM2 (M2 isoform of pyruvate kinase) was identified as a driver of aerobic glycolysis, leading to cell growth and tumor development. PKM2 is usually known to overexpress in cancer, however, there are still remaining questions about the function and the potential as anti-cancer treatment target. We investigated the expression status of PKM2 in gastric cancer tissues and evaluated the possibility of biomarker and anticancer target. Methods: Paraffin-embedded tissue microarray blocks of gastric adenocarcinoma tissue specimens were obtained from 363 gastric cancer patients. All patients underwent curative gastric resection from 1999 to 2007 and distributed from stage I to IV and their clinical characteristics were collected. IHC (Immunohistochemical) assay was performed to evaluate PKM2 expression levels. The correlation of PKM2 expression level with gastric cancer prognosis / stage / histology was evaluated. Results: In our previous microarray study using 60 gastric cancer tissues, we identified PKM2 mRNA overexpressed in cancer tissue than non-cancer tissue (P<0.01). In IHC assays, PKM2 expression level was classified to score 0 (negative, n=185), 1 (weak positive, n=136), and 2 (strong positive, n=42). 49% of gastric cancer tissues presented PKM2 expression (weak or strong positive). PKM2 expression had no relation with prognosis (p=0.913, recurrence free survival) and TNM stage (p=0.825). Intestinal and diffuse type cancer manifested different PKM2 expression pattern and signet ring cell carcinoma manifested 26.6% PKM2 expression. Within same Lauren classification, there was no significant difference of prognosis according to PKM2 expression except signet ring cell carcinoma. In signet ring cell cancer (n=78), PKM2 expression was related to poor overall survival (p=0.029) Conclusion: PKM2 protein expression was not correlated with gastric cancer prognosis. Only in signet ring cell gastric cancer, overexpressed PKM2 was associated with poor overall survival. The role of PKM2 should be further verified in signet ring cell gastric cancer model to find clinical significance in this subtype of gastric cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4540. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-4540
Published Version
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