Low DUSP4 Expression Is Associated With Aggressive Phenotypes and Poor Prognosis in Gastric Cancer

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Authors: Seongsik Bang ; Seungyun Jee ; Hyunsung Kim ; Kiseok Jang ; Hosub Park ; Jae Kyung Myung ; Dongho Choi ; Su-Jin Shin ; Seung Sam Paik

MeSH: Dual-Specificity Phosphatases / genetics ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Phosphatases / genetics ; Phenotype ; Prognosis ; Stomach Neoplasms* / genetics

Keywords: DUSP4 ; Gastric cance r ; dual-specificity protein phosphatase 4 ; prognosis

Abstract: Background/aim: Dual-specificity protein phosphatase 4 (DUSP4) negatively regulates MAPK signaling and is involved in various cellular processes. We herein evaluated the relationship between DUSP4 expression and clinicopathological characteristics in a large series of gastric cancer samples.

Materials and methods: DUSP4 expression was examined by immunohistochemistry in 508 gastric cancer samples. Cases were classified according to the TCGA molecular classification and HER2 amplification. Kaplan-Meier plots were used to predict the relationship between mRNA expression of DUSP4 and survival.

Results: Low expression of DUSP4 was significantly correlated with larger tumor size, higher pT category, positive nodal status, higher stage, lymphovascular invasion, perineural invasion, worse overall survival, and worse recurrence-free survival. No correlation was observed between DUSP4 expression and molecular characteristics. Bioinformatics analysis showed that low mRNA expression was associated with a poor prognosis.

Conclusion: Low expression of DUSP4 is associated with aggressive phenotypes of gastric cancer and a poor prognosis.