The correlation between PROS1 and PSMA2 expression and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in gliomas and their prognostic significance

Chen Zhiqiang; Zhao Jiankai; Zhang Fei; Jia Baoming; Yan Jianmin; Zhang Yanli; Wang Shuangbao; Feng Guoqiang

doi:10.3969/j.issn.1671-6450.2025.12.012

Abstract：Objective To investigate the expression of protein S gene(PROS1)and proteasome 20S subunit alpha 2(PSMA2)in glioma tissues and their correlation with epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)and prognostic significance.Methods A total of 102 patients with glioma diagnosed and treated in the Department of Neurosurgery,Xingtai Central Hos-pital from February 2020 to February 2022 were selected.Real-time quantitative PCR was used to detect the expression of PROS1 mRNA,PSMA2 mRNA,and EMT markers[Snail,epithelial cadherin(E-cad),neuronal cadherin(N-cad)]mRNA.Immunohistochemistry was performed to detect PROS1 and PSMA2 protein expression in tissues.Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between PROS1 mRNA,PSMA2 mRNA and EMT markers.The effects of PROS1 and PSMA2 on glioma prognosis were evaluated.Results Compared with adjacent tissues,glioma tissues showed higher expres-sion of PROS1 mRNA,PSMA2 mRNA,Snail mRNA,and N-cad mRNA,and lower expression of E-cad mRNA(t/P=31.199/＜0.001,31.146/＜0.001,24.632/＜0.001,31.892/＜0.001,19.886/＜0.001).PROS1 mRNA and PSMA2 mRNA in glioma tissues were positively correlated with Snail mRNA and N-cad mRNA,and negatively correlated with E-cad mRNA(r=0.665,0.702,0.714,-0.687,-0.734,all P＜0.001).The positive rates of PROS1 protein and PSMA2 protein in glioma tissues were 70.59％(72/102)and 68.63％(70/102),respectively,which were higher than those in adjacent tissues[4.90％(5/102)and 6.86％(7/102)](x2=93.645,82.797,P＜0.001).The positive rates of PROS1 and PSMA2 proteins were higher in gliomas with tumor diameter ≥3 cm and WHO grade Ⅲ-Ⅳ than in those with tumor diameter＜3 cm and WHO grade Ⅰ-Ⅱ(x2/P=13.512/＜0.001,8.525/0.004,7.913/0.005,8.824/0.003).The 3-year overall survival rates of PROS 1-positive and PSMA2-positive pa-tients[36.11％(26/72)and 34.29％(24/70)]were lower than those of PROS 1-negative and PSMA2-negative patients[66.67％(20/30)and 68.75％(22/32)],with statistically significant differences(Log-rank x2=8.530,11.670;P=0.004,0.001).PROS1 positivity,PSMA2 positivity,and WHO grade Ⅲ-Ⅳ were risk factors affecting the prognosis of glioma pa-tients[HR(95％CI)=1.605(1.157-2.226),1.454(1.077-1.962),1.789(1.184-2.706)].Conclusion The expression of PROS1 and PSMA2 is elevated in gliomas and correlated with EMT markers.Both molecules may serve as novel indicators for evaluating the prognosis of glioma patients.