Protein expressions and clinical significance of β-catenin and glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta in the gastric carcinomas

Abstract

Objective To investigate the expressions ofβ-catenin and glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta(GSK-3β) proteins in the gastric carcinomas and to elucidate their clinical significance.Methods The expressions of β-catenin and GSK3-β proteins were analyzed with immunohistochemistry staining of gastric tissue array in the normal gastric mucosa (n =48),paracancerous tissues ( n =24),and primary cancer tissues ( n =48).Results The positive expression rate ofβ-catenin and GSK-3β in gastric carcinomas was 66.7％ and 35.4％,respectively,and β-catenin protein expression in carcinomas was higher than normal and paracancerous tissues ( x2 =65.455,P ＜ 0.05 ).The expression of β-catenin was correlated with cell differential degree,pTNM stage,histological type,lymph node memtastasis,and nerve invasion,respectively ( x2 =4.713,8.242,13.662,11.658,4.550,P ＜ 0.05 or P ＜ 0.01 ).The positive expression rate of GSK3βin carcinomas was lower than normal and paracancerous tissues ( x2 =26.968,P ＜ 0.05).The expression of GSK-3β was correlated with cell differential degree,histological type,and lymph node metastasis,respectively (x2 =3.868,9.665,9.872,P ＜ 0.05 or P ＜ 0.01 ).The expression of β-catenin was negatively correlated with the expression of GSK-3βprotein in the gastric carcinoma tissues ( r =-0.493,P =0.001 ).Conclusions GSK3-β and β-catenin might play important roles in the progression,differentiation,infiltration,lymph node metastasis of gastric carcinoma,and might be the indicators for diagnosis of a gastric carcinoma. Key words: Stomach neoplasms/pathology; Stomach neoplasms/metabolism; Stomach neoplasms/enzymology; Cadherins/biosynthesis; Glycogen synthase kinase 3/biosynthesis