Expression of FAM83H and ZNF16 are associated with shorter survival of patients with gallbladder carcinoma

Sung Woo Ahn,Jae Do Yang,Ho Sung Park,Ae-Ri Ahn,Hee Chul Yu,Kyu Yun Jang,Sang Hoon Ha,Usama Khamis Hussein,Kyoung Min Kim,See-Hyoung Park

doi:10.1186/s13000-020-00985-1

Abstract

BackgroundRecently, FAM83H was reported to have roles in cancer progression in conjunction with oncogenic molecules such as MYC and b-catenin. Moreover, the data from the public database indicates a molecular relationship between FAM83H and zinc finger proteins, especially between FAM83H and ZNF16. However, studies on FAM83H and ZNF16 in gallbladder cancer have been limited.MethodsThis study investigated the expression of FAM83H and ZNF16 in 105 gallbladder carcinomas.ResultsIn human gallbladder carcinomas, immunohistochemical expression of FAM83H was significantly associated with ZNF16 expression. In univariate analysis, nuclear and cytoplasmic expression of FAM83H or ZNF16 were significantly associated with shorter survival of gallbladder carcinoma patients. Multivariate analysis revealed the nuclear expression of FAM83H as an independent indicator of poor prognosis of overall survival (p = 0.005) and relapse-free survival (p = 0.005) of gallbladder carcinoma patients. Moreover, co-expression patterns of nuclear FAM83H and ZNF16 were also independent indicators of shorter survival of gallbladder carcinoma patients (overall survival; p < 0.001, relapse-free survival; p < 0.001).ConclusionsThis study suggests FAM83H and ZNF16 are associated with the progression of gallbladder carcinoma, and the expressions of FAM83H and ZNF16 might be novel prognostic indicators of gallbladder carcinoma patients.

Highlights

nZNF16 nuclear expression of ZNF16 (FAM83H) was reported to have roles in cancer progression in conjunction with oncogenic molecules such as MYC and b-catenin
The association of clinicopathologic factors with the expressions of FAM83H and ZNF16 in gallbladder carcinomas To verify the specificity of the antibodies for FAM83H and ZNF16, western blots for FAM83H and ZNF16 were performed on SNU-308 gallbladder carcinoma cells after inducing knock-down or overexpression of FAM83H
The positivity for the expression of nuclear FAM83H, cytoplasmic FAM83H, nuclear ZNF16, and cytoplasmic ZNF16 were significantly associated with shorter survival of gallbladder carcinoma patients

Summary

Introduction

FAM83H was reported to have roles in cancer progression in conjunction with oncogenic molecules such as MYC and b-catenin. The data from the public database indicates a molecular relationship between FAM83H and zinc finger proteins, especially between FAM83H and ZNF16. The oncogene MYC transcriptionally stimulates FAM83H expression, and FAM83H stabilizes β-catenin to activate the canonical Wnt pathway [5]. Zinc finger proteins have diverse roles in normal physiology and tumorigenesis [9, 10]. ZNF16 expression is higher in cancers compared with normal cells in the breast, gastrointestinal tract, lung, ovary, and hepatobiliary tract ZNF16 is the molecule that has the most significant correlation with FAM83H in the cholangiocarcinoma It has been suggested that FAM83H and ZNF16 might be involved cooperatively in tumorigenesis

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Discussion

Conclusion