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. 2023 Jun 26;24(13):10639.
doi: 10.3390/ijms241310639.

THSD7A Positivity Predicts Poor Survival and Is Linked to High FAK Expression and FGFR1-Wildtype in Female Patients with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lung

Fidelis Andrea Flockerzi  1 , Johannes Hohneck  1 , Frank Langer  2 , Rainer Maria Bohle  1 , Phillip Rolf Stahl  1
Affiliations

THSD7A Positivity Predicts Poor Survival and Is Linked to High FAK Expression and FGFR1-Wildtype in Female Patients with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lung

Fidelis Andrea Flockerzi et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the western world, with squamous cell carcinoma being one of the most common histological subtypes. Prognostic and predictive markers are still largely missing for squamous cell carcinoma of the lung (LSCC). Several studies indicate that THSD7A might at least play a role in the prognosis of different tumors. FAK seems to play an important role in lung cancer and is discussed as a potential therapeutic target. In addition, there is evidence that FAK-dependent signaling pathways might be affected by THSD7A. For that reason, we investigated the role of THSD7A as a potential tumor marker in LSCC and whether THSD7A expression has an impact on the expression level of FAK. A total of 101 LSCCs were analyzed by immunohistochemistry using tissue microarrays. THSD7A positivity was associated with poor overall survival in female patients and showed a relation to high FAK expression in this subgroup. To our knowledge, we are the first to report these correlations in lung cancer. The results might be proof of the assumed activation of FAK-dependent signaling pathways by THSD7A and that as a membrane-associated protein, THSD7A might serve as a putative therapeutic target in LSCC.

Keywords: FAK; LSCC; THSD7A.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
THSD7A shows membranous and cytoplasmic staining pattern: (A) tumor cells with membranous staining and (B) tumor cells with cytoplasmic staining; (C) whole slide (large section validation) showing tumor cells (arrows) with at least focal THSD7A positivity, while the adjacent non-tumor tissue (star) is THSD7A-negative.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(A) Association between THSD7A positivity and overall survival, female subgroup. (B) Association between THSD7A positivity and overall survival, male subgroup. (C) Association between THSD7A positivity and overall survival, whole cohort.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(A) Association between THSD7A positivity and overall survival, female subgroup. (B) Association between THSD7A positivity and overall survival, male subgroup. (C) Association between THSD7A positivity and overall survival, whole cohort.
Figure 3
Figure 3
FAK shows cytoplasmic staining pattern: (A) tumor cells with high FAK expression and (B) tumor cells with low FAK expression; (C) whole slide (large section validation) showing tumor cells (arrows) with a high FAK expression, while adjacent non-tumor tissue (star) shows, at best, a very low FAK expression.
Figure 4
Figure 4
(A) Association between FAK expression and overall survival, female subgroup. (B) Association between FAK expression and overall survival, male subgroup. (C) Association between FAK expression and overall survival, whole cohort.
Figure 4
Figure 4
(A) Association between FAK expression and overall survival, female subgroup. (B) Association between FAK expression and overall survival, male subgroup. (C) Association between FAK expression and overall survival, whole cohort.
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