Syncytin immunoreactivity in colorectal cancer: Potential prognostic impact

Abstract The endogenous retroviral envelope protein syncytin is involved in cell fusions and has also been associated with immunomodulatory functions. Syncytin is currently known to be expressed in the placenta, testis and brain as well as in breast and endometrial carcinomas. Using a newly develope...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cancer letters 2009-07, Vol.280 (1), p.44-49
Main Authors: Larsen, Julie Mou, Christensen, Ib Jarle, Nielsen, Hans Jørgen, Hansen, Ulla, Bjerregaard, Bolette, Talts, Jan Fredrik, Larsson, Lars-Inge
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Biomarkers, Tumor
Breast cancer
Colon
Colonic Neoplasms - diagnosis
Colonic Neoplasms - metabolism
Colonic Neoplasms - therapy
Colorectal cancer
Colorectal carcinoma
Endometrial cancer
Female
Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
Gene Products, env - metabolism
Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Medicine
Humans
Immunocytochemistry
Male
Medical prognosis
Middle Aged
Overall survival
Pregnancy Proteins - metabolism
Prognosis
Proteins
Rectal Neoplasms - diagnosis
Rectal Neoplasms - metabolism
Rectal Neoplasms - therapy
Retrospective Studies
Retroviral proteins
Retroviridae - metabolism
Studies
Syncytin
Tumors
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Abstract The endogenous retroviral envelope protein syncytin is involved in cell fusions and has also been associated with immunomodulatory functions. Syncytin is currently known to be expressed in the placenta, testis and brain as well as in breast and endometrial carcinomas. Using a newly developed monoclonal syncytin antibody we have assessed syncytin expression in a retrospective series of 140 colorectal cancer patients. Variable degrees of syncytin expression were detected in both colonic and rectal tumors and the prognostic impact of such expression was analysed with the Kaplan–Meier method and the Cox proportional hazard model. Interestingly, increased syncytin expression was associated with decreased overall survival in rectal but not in colonic cancer patients. Thus, the prognostic impact of syncytin expression appears to vary with the tumor type.
ISSN:0304-3835
1872-7980
DOI:10.1016/j.canlet.2009.02.008