Expression and significance of TLR2 and HIF-1α in pancreatic cancer

Abstract

Objective To investigate the expression of TLR2 and HIF-1α in pancreatic cancer and explore the relationship between TLR2 or HIF-1α protein and the clinical or pathological changes in pancreatic cancer. Methods The mRNA of TLR2 and HIF-1α in 30 cases of pancreatic cancer and its adjacent tissues were detected with real-time PCR and with immunohistochemical methods in 65 cases of pancreatic cancer and 38 cases of corresponding adjacent tissues. The relationship between TLR2 or HIF-1α and pathologic features of pancreatic cancer was analyzed. The correlation between TLR2 and HIF-1α in pancreatic cancer was also assessed. Kaplan-Meier method was used to assess the impact of TLR2 or HIF1αexpression on survival. Results The relative quantification of TLR2 mRNA and HIF-1α mRNA in pancreatic cancer tissues was 0.84±0.17 and 0.87±0.11, respectively, which was significantly higher than that in adjacent tissues 0.70±0.13 and 0.68±0.13 respectively,P＜0.05. The protein expression of TLR2 and HIF-1α in pancreatic cancer tissues was 63. 10% and 70.8%, respectively, significantly higher than that in adjacent tissues (34.20% and 36.8%, respectively). There was no significant correlation between the expression of TLR2 or HIF-1α protein and the age, gender, tumor location, the degree of differentiation in patients with pancreatic cancer (P＞0.05). However, there was significant correlation between the expression of TLR2 or HIF-1α protein and tumor size, lymph node metastasis, venous invasion and clinical staging. TLR2 and HIF-1α had a significant impact on survival. Conclusion TLR2 and HIF-1α overexpressed in pancreatic cancer and TLR2 signaling pathway may promote development of the pancreatic cancer with HIF-1α together. Key words: Pancreatic caneer; TLR2; HIF-1α