Skip to main content

Advertisement

Springer Nature Link
Log in

Expression and prognostic significance of focal adhesion kinase in hepatocellular carcinoma

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Aim

To examine the expressions of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and its clinical significance in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

We determined the expression levels of FAK on both steady-state mRNA and protein levels in 50 HCC samples by quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The correlations between FAK expression and various clinicopathological parameters were analyzed.

Results

The expression of FAK on the mRNA level was consistent with that on the protein level. FAK mRNA levels in tumor tissues were significantly higher than in the paratumor tissues (0.229 ± 0.027 vs. 0.163 ± 0.019; P < 0.001), but lower than in the macroscopic cancer emboli (0.506 ± 0.155 vs. 0.377 ± 0.176; P < 0.05). Compared within the tumor tissues, FAK expressions were significantly higher in those with cancer emboli than those without (0.343 ± 0.05 vs. 0.165 ± 0.025; P = 0.003). Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that FAK expression was an independent prognostic factor for disease-free survival and overall survival. Both 3-year disease-free survival rates and overall survival rates in FAK-negative group were significantly higher than in positive group (52 vs. 20% and 72 vs. 29%, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Our results suggest that FAK expression is up-regulated in HCC and its expression is an independent prognostic factor for HCC.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price includes VAT (Canada)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bosch FX, Ribes J, Diaz M, Cleries R (2004) Primary liver cancer: worldwide incidence and trends. Gastroenterology 127:5–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cance WG, Harris JE, Iacocca MV, Roche E, Yang X, Chang J, Simkins S, Xu L (2000) Immunohistochemical analyses of focal adhesion kinase expression in benign and malignant human breast and colon tissues: correlation with preinvasive and invasive phenotypes. Clin Cancer Res 6:2417–2423

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fujii T, Koshikawa K, Nomoto S, Okochi O, Kaneko T, Inoue S, Yatabe Y, Takeda S, Nakao A (2004) Focal adhesion kinase is overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinoma and can be served as an independent prognostic factor. J Hepatol 41:104–111

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Greene FL, Page DL, Fleming ID (2002) AJCC cancer staging manual, 6th edn. Springer, New York, pp 131–144

    Google Scholar 

  • Han NM, Fleming RY, Curley SA, Gallick GE (1997) Overexpression of focal adhesion kinase (p125FAK) in human colorectal carcinoma liver metastases: independence from c-src or c-yes activation. Ann Surg Oncol 4:264–268

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Itoh S, Maeda T, Shimada M, Aishima S, Shirabe K, Tanaka S, Maehara Y (2004) Role of expression of focal adhesion kinase in progression of hepatocellular carcinoma. Clin Cancer Res 10:2812–2817

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mol AJ, Geldof AA, Meijer GA, van der Poel HG, van Moorselaar RJ (2007) New experimental markers for early detection of high-risk prostate cancer: role of cell–cell adhesion and cell migration. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 133:687–695

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Owens LV, Xu L, Craven RJ, Dent GA, Weiner TM, Kornberg L, Liu ET, Cance WG (1995) Overexpression of the focal adhesion kinase (p125FAK) in invasive human tumors. Cancer Res 55:2752–2755

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Owens LV, Xu L, Dent GA, Yang X, Sturge GC, Craven RJ, Cance WG (1996) Focal adhesion kinase as a marker of invasive potential in differentiated human thyroid cancer. Ann Surg Oncol 3:100–105

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Parikh S, Hyman D (2007) Hepatocellular cancer: a guide for the internist. Am J Med 120:194–202

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Schlaepfer DD, Mitra SK, Ilic D (2004) Control of motile and invasive cell phenotypes by focal adhesion kinase. Biochim Biophys Acta 1692:77–102

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sood AK, Coffin JE, Schneider GB, Fletcher MS, DeYoung BR, Gruman LM, Gershenson DM, Schaller MD, Hendrix MJC (2004) Biological significance of focal adhesion kinase in ovarian cancer: role in migration and invasion. Am J Pathol 165:1087–1095

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Theocharis SE, Kouraklis GP, Kakisis JD, Kanelli HG, Apostolakou FE, Karatzas GM (2003) Focal adhesion kinase expression is not a prognostic predictor in colon adenocarcinoma patients. Eur J Surg Oncol 29:571–574

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Too HP (2003) Real time PCR quantification of GFRalpha-2 alternatively spliced isoforms in murine brain and peripheral tissues. Brain Res Mol Brain Res 114:146–153

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tremblay L, Hauck W, Aprikian AG, Begin LR, Chapdelaine A, Chevalier S (1996) Focal adhesion kinase (pp125FAK) expression, activation and association with paxillin and p50CSK in human metastatic prostate carcinoma. Int J Cancer 68:164–171

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wu H, Liang YL, Li Z, Jin Zhang W, Duan L, Zha X (2006) Positive expression of E-cadherin suppresses cell adhesion to fibronectin via reduction of alpha5beta1 integrin in human breast carcinoma cells. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 132:795–803

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.30872512.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of General Surgery, The Sixth People’s Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 600 Yishan RD, Shanghai, 200233, China

    Zhou Yuan, Qi Zheng, Kai-xing Ai, Jie Chen & Xin-yu Huang

  2. Liver Cancer Institute and Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, 180 Fenglin RD, Shanghai, 200032, China

    Jia Fan

Authors
  1. Zhou Yuan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Qi Zheng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jia Fan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Kai-xing Ai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Jie Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Xin-yu Huang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xin-yu Huang.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Yuan, Z., Zheng, Q., Fan, J. et al. Expression and prognostic significance of focal adhesion kinase in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 136, 1489–1496 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-010-0806-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-010-0806-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation