Zhang Hongtuan, Qi Can, Wang Andi, Yao Bing, Li Liang, Wang Yuzhuo, Xu Yong
J Exp Clin Cancer Res. 2013 Oct 16;32(1):77. doi: 10.1186/1756-9966-32-77.
Nucleobindin 2 (NUCB2) protein, a novel oncoprotein, is overexpressed in breast cancer. To date, there have been no published data regarding the role of NUCB2 protein expression in prostate cancer (PCa). Therefore, this study was performed to investigate the correlations between NUCB2 protein expression and prognosis in patients with PCa.
Through immunohistochemistry, NUCB2 protein expression was evaluated in 60 benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) specimens and 180 PCa specimens. The correlation of NUCB2 protein expression with clinicopathological parameters was assessed using χ2 analysis. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to investigate the correlation between NUCB2 protein expression and prognosis of PCa patients.
The immunohistochemistry results showed that the expression level of NUCB2 in PCa cases was significantly higher than that in BPH tissues (P < 0.001). Moreover, statistical analysis also showed that high NUCB2 protein expression was positively related to seminal vesicle invasion, lymph node metastasis, angiolymphatic invasion, higher Gleason score, biochemical recurrence (BCR), and higher preoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Furthermore, it was also shown that patients with high NUCB2 protein expression had significantly poorer overall survival and BCR- free survival compared with patients with low expression of NUCB2 protein. Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that high NUCB2 protein expression level was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival and BCR-free survival of patients with PCa.
NUCB2 protein expression showed a strong association with the potencies of BCR and progression of PCa, and that may be applied as a novel biomarker for the prediction of BCR, and helpful for improving the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of PCa.
核结合蛋白2（NUCB2）是一种新型癌蛋白，在乳腺癌中过表达。迄今为止，尚无关于NUCB2蛋白表达在前列腺癌（PCa）中作用的公开数据。因此，本研究旨在探讨NUCB2蛋白表达与PCa患者预后之间的相关性。
通过免疫组织化学法，在60例良性前列腺增生（BPH）标本和180例PCa标本中评估NUCB2蛋白表达。采用χ2分析评估NUCB2蛋白表达与临床病理参数的相关性。使用Kaplan-Meier分析和Cox比例风险回归模型研究NUCB2蛋白表达与PCa患者预后的相关性。
免疫组织化学结果显示，PCa病例中NUCB2的表达水平显著高于BPH组织（P < 0.001）。此外，统计分析还表明，高NUCB2蛋白表达与精囊侵犯、淋巴结转移、血管淋巴管侵犯、较高的Gleason评分、生化复发（BCR）以及较高的术前前列腺特异性抗原（PSA）呈正相关。此外，还显示与低NUCB2蛋白表达的患者相比，高NUCB2蛋白表达的患者总生存期和无BCR生存期明显更差。多变量Cox回归分析显示，高NUCB2蛋白表达水平是PCa患者总生存期和无BCR生存期的独立预后因素。
NUCB2蛋白表达与PCa的BCR能力和进展密切相关，可作为预测BCR的新型生物标志物，有助于改善PCa的诊断、预后和治疗。
