Overexpression of GPNMB predicts an unfavorable outcome of epithelial ovarian cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Glycoprotein non-metastatic protein B (GPNMB) is a transmembrane glycoprotein that is expressed at higher levels in several malignant human tissues than those in matched normal tissues. Thus, GPNMB may serve as an attractive therapeutic target of cancer treatment. In this study, the prognostic value of GPNMB expression was examined in tumors derived from a cohort of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC).


METHODS
GPNMB expression in matched formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded tissue samples was evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHC), whereas GPNMB mRNA expression in fresh-frozen biopsy tissues was detected using real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). Meanwhile, the correlations of GPNMB expression with the clinical characteristics of EOC were assessed. Besides, survival data were analysed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses, respectively.


RESULTS
GPNMB expression was remarkably upregulated in EOC tissues compared with that in normal ovarian controls at both mRNA and protein levels. In addition, abundant GPNMB expression in EOC was correlated with the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage (P < 0.001), residual tumor (P = 0.036), and lymph node metastasis (P = 0.004). Furthermore, results of univariate and multivariate analyses indicated that GPNMB expression level was an independent prognostic factor of the progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively) for EOC patients.


CONCLUSION
Upregulated GPNMB levels in EOC patients are associated with dismal prognosis. Moreover, findings in the current study indicate that GPNMB is a potentially useful prognostic predictor of the therapeutic approaches for EOC.
['Ma|Rui-Qiong|RQ|', 'Tang|Zhi-Jian|ZJ|', 'Ye|Xue|X|', 'Cheng|Hong-Yan|HY|', 'Sun|Kun-Kun|KK|', 'Chang|Xiao-Hong|XH|', 'Cui|Heng|H|0000-0003-1526-8408']
D000328:Adult D000368:Aged D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor D000077216:Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial D015331:Cohort Studies D005260:Female D006801:Humans D007150:Immunohistochemistry D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins D008875:Middle Aged D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms D011379:Prognosis D012333:RNA, Messenger D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
GPNMB Epithelial ovarian cancer Immunohistochemistry Prognosis