Abnormalities in the NF-κB family and related proteins in endometrial carcinoma
Issue date
2004Author
Pallares, Judit
Martínez-Guitarte, Jose Luis
Llobet Navàs, David
Palacios, José
Prat, Jaime
Suggested citation
Pallares, Judit;
Martínez-Guitarte, Jose Luis;
Dolcet Roca, Xavier;
Llobet Navàs, David;
Rué i Monné, Montserrat;
Palacios, José;
...
Matias-Guiu, Xavier.
(2004)
.
Abnormalities in the NF-κB family and related proteins in endometrial carcinoma.
Journal of Pathology, 2004, vol. 204, núm. 5, p. 569-577.
https://doi.org/10.1002/path.1666.
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Show full item recordAbstract
The NF-κB family of transcription factors regulates a wide variety of cellular processes
including cell growth, differentiation, and apoptosis. A tissue microarray was constructed
from paraffin wax-embedded blocks from 95 endometrial carcinomas (EC), previously
studied for microsatellite instability, as well as for alterations in PTEN, k-RAS and betacatenin.
Immunohistochemical evaluation included members of the NF-κB (p50, p65, p52,
c-Rel, Rel-B) and the IκB (IκBα, IκBβ, IκBε, Bcl-3) families, as well as putative targets
of NF-κB such as Flip, Bcl-xL, Cyclin D1, and oestrogen and progesterone receptors.
Results were correlated with the clinical and pathological data. Nuclear immunostaining for
members of the NF-κB family was frequent in EC (p50, 20%; p65, 16.5–21.9%; p52, 9.3%; cRel,
48.9%; Rel-B, 15.7%); and it correlated with negativity for members of the IκB family in
some cases. There was a statistically significant association between immunoreaction for p50
and p65 (p = 0.006), suggesting activation of the so-called ‘classic form’ of NF-κB, similar
to that described in breast cancer. Bcl-3 nuclear immunostaining was detected in 60.7%
of cases. The vast majority of p52-positive tumours showed Bcl-3 nuclear immunoreaction
(p = 0.038). Immunostaining for putative targets of NF-κB was as follows: Bcl-xL, 76.2%
(p = 0.001); Flip 43.0%; Cyclin D1, 64.79%. p65 immunostaining correlated with increased
immunoreaction for steroid hormone receptors. No correlation was found between NF-κB
nuclear pattern and the presence of microsatellite instability, or alterations in PTEN, kRAS,
or beta-catenin. These results suggest that the NF-κB and IκB families of genes may
be important in endometrial carcinogenesis, by controlling apoptosis and cell proliferation.