The embryonic Brachyury transcription factor is a novel biomarker of GIST aggressiveness and poor survival

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The embryonic Brachyury transcription factor is a novel biomarker of GIST aggressiveness and poor survival

Terça, 23.06.2015

Authors and Affiliations:

Filipe Pinto1,2 Nathalia C. Campanella3 Lucas F. Abrahão-Machado4 Cristovam Scapulatempo-Neto3,4 Antonio T. de Oliveira3,5 Maria J. Brito6 Raquel P. Andrade7 Denise P. Guimarães3,8 Rui M. Reis1,2,3

 

1 Life and Health Sciences Research Institute (ICVS), School of Health Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal

2 ICVS/3B’s-PT Government Associate Laboratory, Braga, Guimara˜es, Portugal

3 Molecular Oncology Research Center, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Rua Antenor Duarte Villela, 1331, Barretos CEP 14784 400, Sao Paulo, Brazil

4 Department of Pathology, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, Sao Paulo, Brazil

5 Upper Digestive Surgery Department, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, Sao Paulo, Brazil

6 Department of Pathology, Hospital Garcia de Orta, Almada, Portugal

7 Regenerative Medicine Program, Department of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal

8 Department of Endoscopy, Barretos Cancer Hospital, Barretos, Sao Paulo, Brazil

 

Abstract:

The T-box transcription factor Brachyury was recently reported to be upregulated and associated with prognosis in solid tumors. Here, we evaluate the potential use of Brachyury protein expression as a new prognostic biomarker in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). Brachyury protein expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry in a cohort of 63 bona fide GIST patients. Brachyury expression profiles were correlated with patients’ clinicopathological features and prognostic impact. Additionally, an in silico analysis was performed using the Oncomine database to assess Brachyury alterations at DNA and mRNA levels in GISTs.

We found that Brachyury was overexpressed in the majority (81.0 %) of primary GISTs. We observed Brachyury staining in the nucleus alone in 4.8 % of cases, 23.8 % depicted only cytoplasm staining, and 52.4 % of cases exhibited both nucleus and cytoplasm immunostaining. The presence of Brachyury was associated with aggressive GIST clinicopathological features. Particularly, Brachyury nuclear (with or without cytoplasm) staining was associated with the presence of metastasis, while cytoplasm sublocalization alone was correlated with poor patient survival.

Herein, we demonstrate that Brachyury is overexpressed in GISTs and is associated with worse outcome, constituting a novel prognostic biomarker and a putative target for GIST treatment.

 

Journal: Gastric Cancer

 

Link: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs10120-015-0505-0