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. 2005 Jun 7;11(21):3182-8.
doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i21.3182.

Co-expression of CDX2 and MUC2 in gastric carcinomas: correlations with clinico-pathological parameters and prognosis

Kristina Roessler  1 , Stefan-P Mönig, Paul-M Schneider, Franz-Georg Hanisch, Stephanie Landsberg, Juergen Thiele, Arnulf-H Hölscher, Hans-P Dienes, Stephan-E Baldus
Affiliations

Co-expression of CDX2 and MUC2 in gastric carcinomas: correlations with clinico-pathological parameters and prognosis

Kristina Roessler et al. World J Gastroenterol. .

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the role of CDX2 homeobox protein as a predictor for cancer progression and prognosis as well as its correlation with MUC2 expression. CDX2 represents a transcription factor for various intestinal genes (including MUC2) and thus an important regulator of intestinal differentiation, which could previously be identified in gastric carcinomas and intestinal metaplasia.

Methods: Formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissues from 190 gastric carcinoma patients were stained with monoclonal antibodies recognizing CDX2 and MUC2, respectively. Immunoreactivity was evaluated semiquantitatively and statistical analyses including chi(2) tests, uni- and multi-variate survival analyses were performed.

Results: CDX2 was mostly expressed in a nuclear or supranuclear pattern, whereas MUC2 showed an almost exclusive supranuclear reactivity. Both antigens were present in >80% of areas exhibiting intestinal metaplasia. An immunoreactivity in >5% of the tumor area was observed in 57% (CDX2) or in 21% (MUC2) of the carcinomas. The presence of both molecules did not correlate with WHO, Lauren and Goseki classification (with the exception of a significantly stronger MUC2 expression in mucinous tumors). CDX2 correlated with a lower pT and pN stage in the subgroups of intestinal and stage I cancers and was associated with MUC2 positivity. A prognostic impact of CDX2 or MUC2 was not observed.

Conclusion: CDX2 and MUC2 play an important role in the differentiation of normal, inflamed, and neoplastic gastric tissues. According to our results, loss of CDX2 may represent a marker of tumor progression in early gastric cancer and carcinomas with an intestinal phenotype.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Supranuclear CDX2 immunostaining in non-neoplastic gastric mucosa (A), signet-ring cell carcinoma (B) and tubular adenocarcinoma (C) of the stomach. MUC2 expression in non-neoplastic gastric tissue (D), signet-ring cell (E) and tubular adenocarcinoma (F).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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