Abstract 4209
Background
Vimentin (Vim) is one of the mesenchymal markers, that are often upregulated in cancer cells during epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) – a process endowing tumor cells with invasiveness, pro-metastatic potential and, arguably, cancer stem cells (CSC) properties. It is normally seen in cytoplasm, but cell surface Vim was also detected on cells with CSC characteristics. Vim expression may be used as a surrogate marker of EMT in tumor tissue samples from patients and aid in prognosis evaluation. We aimed to characterize Vim expression in prostate cancer (PCa) using our method of semiquantitative staining assessment.
Methods
Vim expression was assessed in 48 cases of PCa using immunohistochemistry with primary rabbit polyclonal antibodies (ThermoFischer, 1:1000). UnoView Rabbit Detection Kit was used for visualization. Specificity of staining was confirmed by another antibody (mouse monoclonal, DAKO, 1:200) in selected cases. To assess Vim expression semiquantitatively we proposed a weighed staining index (WSI) that takes into account the proportion of stained cells as well as the ratios of staining intensities and can be applied to different cellular compartments staining separately. It combines advantages of simple ad oculus semiquantitative staining evaluation and obtaining numerical characteristics of marker expression.
Results
Median WSI for membranous staining was 5 (0 – 52) (7, if cases without expression were excluded), for cytoplasmic – 20.5 (0 – 64) (22.5, if cases without expression were excluded). In 2 (4.2%) cases marker expression was absent in both membrane and cytoplasm. WSI in PCa was significantly higher for cytoplasmic staining. However, in 3 (6.25%) cases WSI for membranous staining was higher than that for cytoplasmic. Significant correlation was found between WSI for cytoplasmic and membranous staining (Spearman test, r = 0.51, p < 0,05). However, no correlation was found between WSI for both compartments and E-cadherin expression (as assessed by average staining intensity score – a method similar to WSI – using Aperio software previously).
Conclusions
Vim expression as a sign of EMT in the tumor is present in 95.8% cases of PCa and is more prevalent in cytoplasm. WSI is a useful tool to assess Vim (and possibly other markers) expression.
Clinical trial identification
Legal entity responsible for the study
M. Puchinskaya.
Funding
Belarusian Republican Foundation for Fundamental Research.
Disclosure
All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.
Resources from the same session
1842 - Immunological impact of surgery in NSCLC patients
Presenter: Akitoshi Yanagihara
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
4124 - The prognostic value of selected immunological panel in predicting the prognosis of early-stage resectable non-small cell lung cancer
Presenter: Sha Zhao
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
4468 - Genomic Heterogeneity and Clonality Analysis of Multiple synchronous lung cancers (MSLCs)
Presenter: Fachen Zhou
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
5547 - Analysis of immunosuppressive factors produced by tumorspheres in NSCLC. Prognostic value of Galectin-3 in adenocarcinoma
Presenter: Susana Torres Martinez
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
1658 - Frequency of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in stage IB–IIIA EGFR mutation positive non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) after complete tumour resection
Presenter: Masahiro Tsuboi
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
1535 - EGFR mutation is not a prognostic factor in completely resected lymph node–negative pulmonary adenocarcinoma (LNNPA)
Presenter: Nussara Leeladejkul
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
3262 - Prognostic significance of elements of the adaptive immunity in the microenvironment of early-stage non small cell lung cancer
Presenter: Aliki Liakea
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
4643 - Combined immunoscore for prognostic stratification of early stage NSCLC patients
Presenter: Giulia Pasello
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
4819 - Radiation-induced lung injury and misdiagnosis rate after SBRT
Presenter: Xiaolong Fu
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract
681 - Significance of the red blood cell distribution width in resected pathological stage I non-small cell lung cancer
Presenter: Gouji Toyokawa
Session: Poster Display session 1
Resources:
Abstract