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ABSTRACT: Background
By data mining from published transcriptomic databases, we identified RAP2A as a significantly upregulated gene in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) tissues. RAP2A, a member of the RAS oncogene family, is involved in the process of GTP binding and GTPase activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of RAP2A and its prognostic impact in patients with early and locoregionally advanced NPC.Methods
RAP2A immunohistochemistry was performed for 124 NPC patients who were receiving standard treatment and had no initial distal metastasis. We also performed Western blotting to evaluate the endogenous protein expression of RAP2A in NPC cells and non-neoplastic mucosal cells. The result of RAP2A expression was further correlated with clinicopathological variables, disease-specific survival (DSS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMeFS), and local recurrence-free survival (LRFS).Results
High expression of RAP2A was significantly associated with advanced primary tumor status (P = 0.024) and advanced TNM stage (P = 0.006). In univariate analysis, high expression of RAP2A served as a significant prognostic factor for inferior DSS (P < 0.0001), DMeFS (P < 0.0001), and LRFS (P < 0.0001). In multivariate analysis, RAP2A overexpression still independently predicted worse DSS (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.976, P < 0.001), DMeFS (HR = 4.233, P < 0.001), and LRFS (HR = 4.156, P < 0.001). Moreover, Both HONE1 and TW01 NPC cells, but not non-neoplastic DOK cells demonstrated significantly increased RAP2A expression.Conclusion
Overexpression of RAP2A is associated with advanced disease status and may therefore be an important prognosticator for poor outcomes in NPC, as well as a potential therapeutic target to aid in developing effective treatment modalities.
SUBMITTER: Lee YE
PROVIDER: S-EPMC4494142 | biostudies-literature | 2015
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Lee Ying-En YE He Hong-Lin HL Chen Tzu-Ju TJ Lee Sung-Wei SW Chang I-Wei IW Hsing Chung-Hsi CH Li Chien-Feng CF
American journal of translational research 20150515 5
<h4>Background</h4>By data mining from published transcriptomic databases, we identified RAP2A as a significantly upregulated gene in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) tissues. RAP2A, a member of the RAS oncogene family, is involved in the process of GTP binding and GTPase activity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of RAP2A and its prognostic impact in patients with early and locoregionally advanced NPC.<h4>Methods</h4>RAP2A immunohistochemistry was performed for 124 NPC patient ...[more]