Expression and significance of RKIP and p-ERK in lung cancer

QI Zhan; GAO Shao-wei; WEI Zhi-qiang; YANG Da-yun

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1006-5725.2014.03.014

Abstract：Objective To investigate the expression of raf kinase inhibitor protein (RKIP) and phospho-rylation of extracelluar signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK) in lung carcinoma by tissue microarray technique, and to explore its correlation with the clinicopathologic features. Methods RKIP and p-ERK protein expression were detected by using immunohistochemistry in 96 lung carcinoma specimens and 96 non-tumor lung samples. Relationship between RKIP and p-ERK expression and clinicopathological parameters was also analyzed. Results Immunohistochemistry assay revealed that RKIP level was lower in tumor tissues than that in normal lung tissues. But p-ERK positive staining rate was significantly higher in tumor tissues than that in normal lung tissues. The difference was significant (P<0.05). RKIP and p-ERK expression was correlated with the different differentiation of tumor, TNM staging, the development of lymph node metastasis and the survival time (P < 0.05, respectively). RKIP expression was negatively correlated with ERK activation in lung carcinoma (P < 0.05). Conclusion Expression of RKIP and p-ERK was significantly correlated with invasion and metastasis of lung carcinoma. RKIP may be a lung carcinoma metastasis suppressor, and the decreased RKIP expression was associated with the increased metastasis capability of lung carcinoma cells through activating ERK.