EGFR and CXCR1 expression in thyroid carcinoma in Qassim Region-Saudi Arabia: Correlation with clinicopathological parameters

Clinicopathological significance of epidermal growth factor receptor expression in papillary thyroid carcinoma: a meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

This study aimed to determine the relationship between the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and pathological indicators in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC).

EVIDENCE ACQUISITION

PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, MEDLINE, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for relevant clinical trials. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) showed the effect magnitude of the expression of EGFR, age, gender, tumor size, lymph node metastasis (LNM), extrathyroid extension, and tumor, lymph node, metastasis) stage. Stata 12.0 was used for statistical analysis of data.

EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS

A total of 845 cases of PTC were included through the retrieval of 8 studies performed abroad. EGFR significantly correlated with extrathyroid extension (OR=3.25; 95% CI: 1.25-8.43; Z=2.42; P=0.015), LNM (OR=8.40; 95% CI: 5.44-12.97; Z=9.61; P=0.000), TNM stage (OR=2.30, 95% CI: 1.51-3.51; Z=3.87; P=0.000), and tumor size (OR=1.68; 95% CI: 1.06-2.68; Z=2.19; P=0.03). EGFR had no correlation with age (OR=1.13; 95% CI: 0.83-1.53; Z=0.77; P=0.44), gender (OR=0.93; 95% CI: 0.66-1.33; Z=0.38; P=0.70). Sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the studies by Cui Tang and Alfred King Yin Lam in LNM impacted the pooled OR. After removing these two studies, relatively stable results between the expression of EGFR and LNM were obtained.

CONCLUSIONS

The results in the expression of EGFR is frequent and cancer-specific event in PTC. Besides, the expression of EGFR was involved in the progression and metastasis of PTC.

Correlation of MRI quantitative perfusion parameters with EGFR, VEGF and EGFR gene mutations in non-small cell cancer

To explore the relationship between quantitative perfusion histogram parameters of dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) with the expression of tumor tissue epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and EGFR gene mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A total of 44 consecutive patients with known NSCLC were recruited from March 2018 to August 2021. Histogram parameters (mean, uniformity, skewness, energy, kurtosis, entropy, percentile) of each (Ktrans, Kep, Ve, Vp, Fp) were obtained by Omni Kinetics software. Immunohistochemistry staining was used in the detection of the expression of VEGF and EGFR protein, and the mutation of EGFR gene was detected by PCR. Corresponding statistical test was performed to compare the parameters and protein expression between squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and adenocarcinoma (AC), as well as EGFR mutations and wild-type. Correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between parameters with the expression of VEGF and EGFR protein. Fp (skewness, kurtosis, energy) were statistically significant between SCC and AC, and the area under the ROC curve were 0.733, 0.700 and 0.675, respectively. The expression of VEGF in AC was higher than in SCC. Fp (skewness, kurtosis, energy) were negatively correlated with VEGF (r =  - 0.527, - 0.428, - 0.342); Ktrans (Q50) was positively correlated with VEGF (r = 0.32); Kep (energy), Ktrans (skewness, kurtosis) were positively correlated with EGFR (r = 0.622, r = 0.375, 0.358), some histogram parameters of Kep, Ktrans (uniformity, entropy) and Ve (kurtosis) were negatively correlated with EGFR (r =  - 0.312 to - 0.644). Some perfusion histogram parameters were statistically significant between EGFR mutations and wild-type, they were higher in wild-type than mutated (P < 0.05). Quantitative perfusion histogram parameters of DCE-MRI have a certain value in the differential diagnosis of NSCLC, which have the potential to non-invasively evaluate the expression of cell signaling pathway-related protein.

CXCR1 correlates to poor outcomes of EGFR-TKI against advanced non-small cell lung cancer by activating chemokine and JAK/STAT pathway

OBJECTIVE

CXCR1, a member of the seven-transmembrane chemokine receptor family, promotes cell proliferation and metastasis in many tumors. The present study was undertaken to explore the interrelation between CXCR1 expression and the prognosis of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in addition to the efficacy of epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD).

METHODS

The expression of CXCR1 in NSCLC tissues was assessed by immunohistochemistry. The relationships between CXCR1 expression and clinical-pathological factors were investigated. Concomitantly, the relationship between CXCR1 expression and EGFR-TKI treatment efficacy was investigated. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was employed for the exploration of pathway enrichment, tumor immune estimation resource (TIMER) and gene expression profiling interactive analysis (GEPIA) for the inspection of the interrelationship between infiltration immune cells and CXCR1. After gain-and loss-of-function of CXCR1 in NSCLC cells, qRT-PCR and Western blot were applied to measure the levels of proteins associated with the chemokine pathway (CCL3 and CXCL2) and the JAK/STAT pathway (IL9R, PIAS4 and STAT5A).

RESULTS

CXCR1 significantly correlated with poor prognosis of NSCLC patients. Additionally, CXCR1 limited the clinical efficacy of EGFR-TKIs in advanced LUAD (P = 0.029). In the tumor microenvironment, CXCR1 was positively associated with infiltration levels of immune markers in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) and LUAD. High expression of CXCR1 was implicated in the NOD-like receptor (NLR), cytokine/cytokine receptor, JAK/STAT and chemokine signaling pathways in LUAD and LUSC. Overexpression of CXCR1 in NSCLC cell lines enhanced expressions of CCL3, CXCL2, IL9R, PIAS4 and STAT5A, while knockdown of CXCR1 repressed expressions of CCL3, CXCL2, IL9R, PIAS4 and STAT5A.

CONCLUSION

CXCR1 is correlated with poor prognosis of NSCLC and affects the efficacy of EGFR-TKIs in LUAD.