High expression of GRK3 is associated with favorable prognosis in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND

It was found that G-protein-coupled receptor kinase 3 (GRK3) played key biological roles in some cancers. However, its associations with clinicopathologic features and prognosis in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) remain unknown.

METHODS AND METHODS

Expression of GRK3 was detected, using tissue microarray-based immunohistochemistry, in paired formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor and non-tumor samples from 165 patients with PDAC after curative resection, and was further correlated with clinicopathologic parameters and cancer-specific survival (CSS).

RESULTS

It was shown that GRK3 expression was much lower in tumor than in non-tumor tissues. Moreover, expression of GRK3 in tumor tissues was significantly associated with gender and T stage. Univariately, high GRK3 expression was predictive for favorable CSS, along with some conventional clinicopathologic variables. In multivariate Cox regression test, GRK3 expression remained to be a significant prognostic marker for PDAC. Finally, combination of GRK3 with some clinicopathologic variables, especially N stage, obtained more precise prediction for CSS.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggested that expression of GRK3 was down-regulated in PDAC and was an independent prognostic factor.