PURPOSE

Although recent studies have suggested that chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 12 (CXCL12) is important in the progression of various malignancies, its role in gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) remains unknown. We investigated CXCL12 expression in GBC and its biologic and prognostic role in GBC tumorigenesis.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

We examined CXCL12 expression in tumor specimens from 72 patients with GBC by immunohistochemistry and analyzed the correlation between CXCL12 expression and clinicopathologic factors or survival. The functional significance of CXCL12 expression was investigated by CXCL12 treatment and suppression of CXCR4, a major receptor of CXCL12, as well as by CXCL12 overexpression in in vitro and in vivo studies.

RESULTS

CXCL12 was differentially expressed in GBC tissues. CXCL12 expression was significantly associated with a high histologic grade (P = 0.042) and nodal metastasis (P = 0.015). Multivariate analyses showed that CXCL12 expression (HR, 8.675; P = 0.014) was an independent risk factor for patient survival. CXCL12 significantly increased anchorage-dependent and -independent growth, migration, invasion, adhesiveness, and survival of GBC cells in vitro, and these effects were dependent on CXCR4. Consistent with these results, overexpression of CXCL12 significantly promoted GBC tumorigenicity in a xenograft model.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that GBC cells express both CXCL12 and its receptor CXCR4, and CXCL12 may have a role in GBC progression through an autocrine mechanism. In addition, CXCL12 is a novel independent poor prognostic factor in patients with GBCs. Thus, targeting CXCL12 and CXCR4 may provide a novel therapeutic strategy for GBC treatment.