Department of Surgical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China.
Department of Medical Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang, China.
J Physiol Pharmacol. 2021 Dec;72(6). doi: 10.26402/jpp.2021.6.08. Epub 2022 Apr 2.
This study aims to investigate the expression levels and values of autophagy genes light chain 3 (LC3) and autophagy-related 5 (ATG5) in intestinal-type gastric cancer. Ninety samples of normal gastric mucosa, intraepithelial neoplasia, and gastric cancer tissue were used in this study. The messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) and protein expression levels of autophagy genes LC3 and ATG5 were detected using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and the immunohistochemistry method. The correlations of the autophagy genes and certain clinical pathological parameters were analyzed. The results showed that LC3 mRNA expression was 43.76 ± 20.31 in the normal group, 111.29 ± 18.65 in the intraepithelial neoplasia group, and 131.78 ± 26.29 in the gastric cancer group, while ATG5 mRNA expression was 4.52 ± 2.37 in the normal group, 7.09 ± 1.88 in the intraepithelial neoplasia group, and 10.25 ± 2.81 in the gastric cancer group. The differences between the groups were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The protein expression of LC3 in the normal group was 1.05 ± 0.41, 1.53 ± 0.36 in the intraepithelial neoplasia group, and 1.99 ± 0.14 in the gastric cancer group. The protein expression of ATG5 was 0.78 ± 0.24 in the normal group, 1.37 ± 0.39 in the intraepithelial neoplasia group, and 2.04 ± 0.63 in the gastric cancer group. The differences between the groups were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The positive rate of LC3 protein expression was 33.3% in the normal group and 60% in the intraepithelial neoplasia group, and the difference was statistically significant (χ = 4.89; P = 0.04). In the gastric cancer group, the positive rate of LC3 protein expression was 83.3%, making it significantly higher than the intraepithelial neoplasia group, with a statistically significant difference (χ = 4.02, P = 0.045). The positive rate of ATG5 protein expression was 23.3% in the normal group, 50.0% in the intraepithelial neoplasia group, and 76.7% in the gastric cancer group. The expression in the intraepithelial neoplasia group was much higher than in the normal group, with a statistically significant difference (χ = 4.59, P = 0.03), and that of the gastric cancer group was much higher than that of the intraepithelial neoplasia group, with a statistically significant difference (χ = 4.59, P = 0.03). LC3 protein expression was significantly correlated with depth of infiltration, and lymph node status. ATG5 protein expression was significantly correlated with age, depth of infiltration, and lymph node status. There was also a correlation between the LC3 and ATG5 proteins (correlation coefficient r = 0.72, P = 0.001). The enhanced autophagy activity of LC3 and ATG5 may participate in the occurrence and development of intestinal gastric cancer, and they may play a synergistic role in promoting the occurrence and development of intestinal gastric cancer. These findings provide clinical value for the diagnosis of intestinal gastric cancer.
本研究旨在探讨自噬基因轻链 3（LC3）和自噬相关蛋白 5（ATG5）在肠型胃癌中的表达水平及意义。本研究采用 90 例正常胃黏膜、上皮内瘤变和胃癌组织标本，采用实时荧光定量聚合酶链反应（qRT-PCR）、Western blot 和免疫组织化学方法检测自噬基因 LC3 和 ATG5 的信使核糖核酸（mRNA）和蛋白表达水平，分析自噬基因与某些临床病理参数的相关性。结果显示，LC3mRNA 表达在正常组、上皮内瘤变组和胃癌组分别为 43.76±20.31、111.29±18.65 和 131.78±26.29，ATG5mRNA 表达在正常组、上皮内瘤变组和胃癌组分别为 4.52±2.37、7.09±1.88 和 10.25±2.81，差异均有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。LC3 蛋白在正常组、上皮内瘤变组和胃癌组的表达分别为 1.05±0.41、1.53±0.36 和 1.99±0.14，ATG5 蛋白在正常组、上皮内瘤变组和胃癌组的表达分别为 0.78±0.24、1.37±0.39 和 2.04±0.63，差异均有统计学意义（P＜0.05）。LC3 蛋白在正常组、上皮内瘤变组的阳性率分别为 33.3%和 60%，差异有统计学意义（χ=4.89，P=0.04）。胃癌组 LC3 蛋白阳性率为 83.3%，明显高于上皮内瘤变组，差异有统计学意义（χ=4.02，P=0.045）。ATG5 蛋白在正常组、上皮内瘤变组和胃癌组的阳性率分别为 23.3%、50.0%和 76.7%，上皮内瘤变组的表达明显高于正常组，差异有统计学意义（χ=4.59，P=0.03），胃癌组的表达明显高于上皮内瘤变组，差异有统计学意义（χ=4.59，P=0.03）。LC3 蛋白表达与浸润深度、淋巴结转移情况显著相关，ATG5 蛋白表达与年龄、浸润深度和淋巴结转移情况显著相关，LC3 和 ATG5 蛋白之间存在相关性（相关系数 r=0.72，P=0.001）。LC3 和 ATG5 自噬活性的增强可能参与肠型胃癌的发生发展，两者可能协同促进肠型胃癌的发生发展。这些发现为肠型胃癌的诊断提供了临床价值。
