Research Article

Differential expression of glypican-3 (GPC3) in lung squamous cell carcinoma and lung adenocarcinoma and its clinical significance

Published: August 28, 2015
Genet. Mol. Res. 14 (3) : 10185-10192 DOI: https://doi.org/10.4238/2015.August.28.2
Cite this Article:
X. Yu, Y. Li, S.W. Chen, Y. Shi, F. Xu (2015). Differential expression of glypican-3 (GPC3) in lung squamous cell carcinoma and lung adenocarcinoma and its clinical significance. Genet. Mol. Res. 14(3): 10185-10192. https://doi.org/10.4238/2015.August.28.2
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Abstract

In this study, we examined the expression of glypican-3 (GPC3) in the 2 most common histological types of lung cancer, squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, and explored the relationship between GPC3 expression and the prognosis of these 2 types of lung cancers. Lung cancer tissues and paracancerous tissues were collected from a total of 60 patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma or lung adenocarcinoma. GPC3 gene and protein expression in the tissue samples was examined using fluorescence-based real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry, and western blot analysis. In addition, the serological levels of GPC3 protein in lung cancer patients were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The overall expression of GPC3 protein in lung cancer was 45% (21/60). No GPC3 expression was detected in paracancerous lung tissues. Positive expression of GPC3 protein in lung squamous cell carcinoma was significantly higher than that in lung adenocarcinoma (70 vs 20%, P < 0.001). Among GPC3-positive lung squamous cell carcinoma and lung adenocarcinoma samples, samples collected from patients with lymph node metastasis and patients with poorly differentiated cancer exhibited more pronounced GPC-3 expression. GPC3 protein expression was significantly higher in lung squamous cell carcinoma than in lung adenocarcinoma. GPC3 may be a candidate marker for detecting lung squamous cell carcinoma.

In this study, we examined the expression of glypican-3 (GPC3) in the 2 most common histological types of lung cancer, squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, and explored the relationship between GPC3 expression and the prognosis of these 2 types of lung cancers. Lung cancer tissues and paracancerous tissues were collected from a total of 60 patients with lung squamous cell carcinoma or lung adenocarcinoma. GPC3 gene and protein expression in the tissue samples was examined using fluorescence-based real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry, and western blot analysis. In addition, the serological levels of GPC3 protein in lung cancer patients were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The overall expression of GPC3 protein in lung cancer was 45% (21/60). No GPC3 expression was detected in paracancerous lung tissues. Positive expression of GPC3 protein in lung squamous cell carcinoma was significantly higher than that in lung adenocarcinoma (70 vs 20%, P < 0.001). Among GPC3-positive lung squamous cell carcinoma and lung adenocarcinoma samples, samples collected from patients with lymph node metastasis and patients with poorly differentiated cancer exhibited more pronounced GPC-3 expression. GPC3 protein expression was significantly higher in lung squamous cell carcinoma than in lung adenocarcinoma. GPC3 may be a candidate marker for detecting lung squamous cell carcinoma.

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