Over-expression of low-density lipoprotein receptor-related Protein-1 is associated with poor prognosis and invasion in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Background

Low-density lipoprotein receptor-Related Protein-1 (LRP-1) has been reported to involve in tumor development. However, its role in pancreatic cancer has not been elucidated. The present study was designed to evaluate the expression of LRP-1 in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Cancer (PDAC) as well as its association with prognosis.

Methods

Here, 478 pancreatic cancers were screened for suitable primary PDAC tumors. The samples were analyzed using qRT-PCR, western blotting, and Immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining as well as LRP-1 expression in association with clinicopathological features.

Results

The relative LRP-1 mRNA expression was up-regulated in 82.3% (42/51) of the PDAC tumors and its expression (3.72?±?1.25) was significantly higher than that in pancreatic normal margins (1.0?±?0.23, P?<?0.05). This up-regulation was stage dependent (P?<?0.05). A similar pattern of LRP-1 protein expression was discovered (P?<?0.05). The high expression of LRP-1 in the PDAC tissues was strongly correlated with the low survival time (P?=?0.001), TNM classification (P?=?0.001), low differentiations status (P?=?0.001), lymphatic invasion (P?=?0.01) and Perineural Invasion (PNI) status (P?=?0.001).

Conclusions

Our finding for the first time revealed that LRP-1 expression inversely associated with poor prognosis and PNI in PDAC tumor.