Expressions of large tumor suppressor kinase 1 and large tumor suppressor kinase 2 in gastric cancer and their significances

Abstract

Objective To investigate the expressions of large tumor suppressor kinase 1 (LATS1) and large tumor suppressor kinase 2 (LATS2) proteins in gastric cancer tissues, and to explore the correlation between expressions of LATS1 and LATS2 proteins and the occurrence and development of gastric cancer. Methods A total of 93 gastric cancer paraffin tissues and the corresponding adjacent gastric normal mucosa in the Department of Pathology in Baotou Cancer Hospital from September 2008 to June 2010 were collected. The immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expressions of LATS1 and LATS2 proteins in gastric cancer and adjacent normal tissues. The differences of the expressions of LATS1 and LATS2 proteins in gastric cancer and adjacent normal tissues were compared by using χ2 test. The relationship between the expressions of LATS1 and LATS2 proteins and the clinicopathological features was also analyzed. Results In gastric cancer tissues, LATS1 was negatively expressed in 54 cases (58.1%), weakly positive expressed in 15 cases (16.1%), moderately positive expressed in 16 cases (17.2%), and strongly positive expressed in 8 cases (8.6%); in adjacent normal tissues, LATS1 was negatively expressed in 17 cases (18.3%), weakly positive expressed in 16 cases (17.2%), moderately positive expressed in 31 cases (33.3%), and strongly positive expressed in 29 cases (31.2%). The positive expression rate of LATS1 in gastric cancer tissues was lower than that in adjacent normal tissues, and the difference was statistically significant (χ2= 37.460, P 0.05). Conclusion LATS1 and LATS2 proteins may be involved in the occurrence of gastric cancer and have the inhibiting effect on the occurrence and development of gastric cancer. Key words: Gastric neoplasms; Large tumor suppressor kinase 1; Large tumor suppressor kinase 2