DEC1 (STRA13) protein expression relates to hypoxia- inducible factor 1-alpha and carbonic anhydrase-9 overexpression in non-small cell lung cancer.

Journal article

Differentiated embryo-chondrocyte expressed gene 1 (DEC1) is involved in cell differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis, and was recently shown to be regulated by hypoxia. The present immunohistochemical study demonstrates extensive nuclear expression of the protein in 38% of a series of 115 non-small cell lung carcinomas using a polyclonal antibody (Ab) recognizing DEC1 protein. Such expression was directly related to the expression of two hypoxia-regulated proteins, namely the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) 1alpha and carbonic anhydrase-9. Although DEC1 was not related to angiogenesis or to the expression of VEGF and thymidine phosphorylase, a direct association with up-regulated bFGF receptors was noted. DEC1 was persistently expressed in the nuclei of normal bronchial and alveolar tissue. It is suggested that loss of DEC1 expression is an early event in the development of lung cancer, while DEC1 gene expression occurs in a subset of tumours and parallels the overexpression of other hypoxia-regulated proteins.

Authors: Giatromanolaki, A; Koukourakis, M; Sivridis, E; Turley, H; Wykoff, C

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: Journal of pathology
• Volume: 200
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 222-228
• Publication date: 2003-06-01
• DOI: 10.1002/path.1330
• EISSN: 1096-9896
• ISSN: 0022-3417
• Language: English
• Keywords: Antigens, Neoplasm; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1; Neoplasm Proteins; Homeodomain Proteins; Male; Lung; Multivariate Analysis; Female; Neovascularization, Pathologic; Middle Aged; Transcription Factors; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung; Humans; DNA-Binding Proteins; Lung Neoplasms; Survival Analysis; Cell Hypoxia; Aged; Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors; Adult; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit; Carbonic Anhydrases; Nuclear Proteins; Prognosis; Tumor Markers, Biological; Endothelium, Vascular