TY - JOUR
T1 - Neuroendocrine and epithelial phenotypes in small-cell lung cancer: Implications for metastasis and survival in patients
AU - Stovold, R.
AU - Meredith, S. L.
AU - Bryant, J. L.
AU - Babur, M.
AU - Williams, K. J.
AU - Dean, E. J.
AU - Dive, C.
AU - Blackhall, F. H.
AU - White, A.
PY - 2013/4/30
Y1 - 2013/4/30
N2 - Background: Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) has a very aggressive clinical course with early metastasis. This study investigated how the distinctive neuroendocrine characteristics contribute to disease progression and invasion in human SCLC.Methods:The neuroendocrine phenotype (pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)) was quantified by ELISA in blood samples from 43 SCLC patients. The neuroendocrine (POMC, chromogranin A, neuron-specific enolase, NCAM) and epithelial (cytokeratin and E-cadherin) phenotypes were investigated, using ELISA and immunocytochemistry/immunohistochemistry.Results:In SCLC patients, 16% had elevated circulating POMC, which was associated with significantly worse survival (P=0.02) and liver metastases (P=0.004). In addition, POMC correlated with epithelial-positive circulating tumour cells (P=0.0002). In a panel of SCLC cell lines, all POMC-secreting cell lines expressed cytokeratin (40% of total). Even after cloning, DMS 79 cells expressed both neuroendocrine and epithelial markers. DMS 79 xenografts secreted POMC into the blood, which mirrored the tumour volume. These xenografts expressed both neuroendocrine and epithelial phenotypes in all tumours, with both phenotypes prevalent in cells invading the surrounding tissue.Conclusion:Both neuroendocrine and epithelial phenotypes coexist in human SCLC tumours in vitro and in vivo and this persists in invading tumour cells. In patients, POMC secretion predicts poor survival and liver metastases, suggesting a crucial role of the neuroendocrine phenotype. © 2013 Cancer Research UK. All rights reserved.
AB - Background: Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) has a very aggressive clinical course with early metastasis. This study investigated how the distinctive neuroendocrine characteristics contribute to disease progression and invasion in human SCLC.Methods:The neuroendocrine phenotype (pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)) was quantified by ELISA in blood samples from 43 SCLC patients. The neuroendocrine (POMC, chromogranin A, neuron-specific enolase, NCAM) and epithelial (cytokeratin and E-cadherin) phenotypes were investigated, using ELISA and immunocytochemistry/immunohistochemistry.Results:In SCLC patients, 16% had elevated circulating POMC, which was associated with significantly worse survival (P=0.02) and liver metastases (P=0.004). In addition, POMC correlated with epithelial-positive circulating tumour cells (P=0.0002). In a panel of SCLC cell lines, all POMC-secreting cell lines expressed cytokeratin (40% of total). Even after cloning, DMS 79 cells expressed both neuroendocrine and epithelial markers. DMS 79 xenografts secreted POMC into the blood, which mirrored the tumour volume. These xenografts expressed both neuroendocrine and epithelial phenotypes in all tumours, with both phenotypes prevalent in cells invading the surrounding tissue.Conclusion:Both neuroendocrine and epithelial phenotypes coexist in human SCLC tumours in vitro and in vivo and this persists in invading tumour cells. In patients, POMC secretion predicts poor survival and liver metastases, suggesting a crucial role of the neuroendocrine phenotype. © 2013 Cancer Research UK. All rights reserved.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84877063307
U2 - 10.1038/bjc.2013.112
DO - 10.1038/bjc.2013.112
M3 - Article
C2 - 23519056
SN - 0007-0920
VL - 108
SP - 1704
EP - 1711
JO - British Journal of Cancer
JF - British Journal of Cancer
IS - 8
ER -
