Beclin 1 expression: a predictor of prognosis in patients with extranodal natural killer T-cell lymphoma, nasal type

Autophagy. 2010 Aug;6(6):777-83. doi: 10.4161/auto.6.6.12784.

Abstract

Beclin 1 plays an important role in autophagy, differentiation, antiapoptosis and the development and progression of cancer. The function and expression of Beclin 1 in natural killer T-cell lymphoma is largely unexplored. The study aimed to investigate Beclin 1 expression and its relationship with prognosis in extranodal natural killer T-cell lymphoma, nasal type (EN KL). Beclin 1 protein expression in 65 tumor specimens from patients newly diagnosed with EN KL was examined by immunohistochemistry (IH C). The clinical significance of Beclin 1 in EN KL was statistically analyzed. Immunopositivity for Beclin 1 was found in 56 (86.2%) of the 65 samples. Low Beclin 1 expression was significantly associated with advanced Ann Arbor stage, intermediate to high IPI risk and elevated LDH level. Low Beclin 1 expression was associated with worse overall survival (OS; p = 0.001) and progression-free survival (PFS; p = 0.017). In multivariate analysis, Beclin1 expression, advanced Ann Arbor stage and B symptoms were found to be independent prognostic factors of OS and PFS. Consequently, a new clinico-pathological prognostic model was proposed. The model could discriminate different survival outcomes between low risk and high risk groups based on OS and PFS (p < 0.0001, respectively). Beclin1 expression is predictive of prognosis in EN KL. The new clinico-pathological prognostic model may be help identify patients with different clinical outcomes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins / metabolism*
  • Beclin-1
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell / diagnosis*
  • Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell / drug therapy
  • Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell / metabolism*
  • Lymphoma, Extranodal NK-T-Cell / pathology
  • Male
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism*
  • Middle Aged
  • Models, Biological
  • Nose Neoplasms / diagnosis*
  • Nose Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Nose Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Nose Neoplasms / pathology
  • Prognosis
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • BECN1 protein, human
  • Beclin-1
  • Membrane Proteins