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BMC Cancer
Published in: BMC Cancer 1/2012

Open Access 01-12-2012 | Research article

Overexpression of Snail is associated with lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis in patients with gastric cancer

Authors: Na Ri Shin, Eun Hui Jeong, Chang In Choi, Hyun Jung Moon, Chae Hwa Kwon, In Sun Chu, Gwang Ha Kim, Tae Yong Jeon, Dae Hwan Kim, Jae Hyuk Lee, Do Youn Park

Published in: BMC Cancer | Issue 1/2012

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Abstract

Background

Epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a significant role in tumor progression and invasion. Snail is a known regulator of EMT in various malignant tumors. This study investigated the role of Snail in gastric cancer.

Methods

We examined the effects of silenced or overexpressed Snail using lenti-viral constructs in gastric cancer cells. Immunohistochemical analysis of tissue microarrays from 314 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma (GC) was used to determine Snail’s clinicopathological and prognostic significance. Differential gene expression in 45 GC specimens with Snail overexpression was investigated using cDNA microarray analysis.

Results

Silencing of Snail by shRNA decreased invasion and migration in GC cell lines. Conversely, Snail overexpression increased invasion and migration of gastric cancer cells, in line with increased VEGF and MMP11. Snail overexpression (≥75% positive nuclear staining) was also significantly associated with tumor progression (P < 0.001), lymph node metastases (P = 0.002), lymphovascular invasion (P = 0.002), and perineural invasion (P = 0.002) in the 314 GC patients, and with shorter survival (P = 0.023). cDNA microarray analysis revealed 213 differentially expressed genes in GC tissues with Snail overexpression, including genes related to metastasis and invasion.

Conclusion

Snail significantly affects invasiveness/migratory ability of GCs, and may also be used as a predictive biomarker for prognosis or aggressiveness of GCs.
Appendix
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Metadata
Title
Overexpression of Snail is associated with lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis in patients with gastric cancer
Authors
Na Ri Shin
Eun Hui Jeong
Chang In Choi
Hyun Jung Moon
Chae Hwa Kwon
In Sun Chu
Gwang Ha Kim
Tae Yong Jeon
Dae Hwan Kim
Jae Hyuk Lee
Do Youn Park
Publication date
01-12-2012
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Cancer / Issue 1/2012
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2407
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2407-12-521

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