Role of TGF-β/Smad Signaling Pathway-Related Proteins in Clinicopathological Features and Prognosis and Survival of Patients with Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

Abstract

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC)is the most common canceroriginating in the nasopharynx with high incidence of nasopharyngeal carcinoma. This study aimsto identify possible prognostic factors of related proteins in the TGF-β/Smadsignaling pathway in NPC.The expression of TGF-β1, TGF-βRI, TGF-βRII, TGF-β2, Smad4, Smad7 and RUNX3 inNPC tissues and nasopharyngitis tissues was detected. Besides, the association ofTGF-β/Smad signaling pathway-related protein expressions and prognosis ofNPC was analyzed.Initially,the NPC tissues showed higher expression of TGF-β1 and Smad7 and lowerexpression of Smad4, TGF-βRII,TGF-β2 and RUNX3. Meanwhile, the nonkeratinizing differentiated squamous cellcarcinoma showed higher positive expression of TGF-βRI,patients in stage III-IV presentedhigher positive expression of TGF-β1 and Smad7, and patients with lymph nodemetastasis showed higher positive expression of TGF-β1 and Smad7. Furthermore,TGF-β1, TGF-β2 and Smad4 were independent factors for the prognosis of NPC. Our study suggests that NPC presents withup-regulated expression of positive expression rates of TGF-β1 and Smad7 anddown-regulated TGF-β2,TGF-βRⅡ, Smad4 and RUNX3, and additionally, TGF-β1, TGF-β2 and Smad4 areindependent factorsfor the prognosis of NPC, which could be regarded as the novel target for thetreatment of NPC.

Keywords

• nasopharyngealcarcinoma
• tgf-β; smad
• tgf-β/smad signaling pathway
• clinicopathological features
• prognosis