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Protein expression of close homologue of L1 (CHL1) is a marker for overall survival in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology volume 145, pages 2285–2292 (2019)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

The cell adhesion molecule close homologue of L1 (CHL1) is a potential tumour suppressor and was recently detected in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) specimens. The expression pattern, prognostic, and functional role of CHL1 in NSCLCs is unknown.

Methods

We evaluated the protein expression of CHL1 by immunohistochemistry in 2161 NSCLC patients based on a tissue microarray. The results were correlated with clinical, histopathological, and patient survival data (Chi square test, t test, and log-rank test, respectively). A multivariate analysis (Cox regression) was performed to validate its impact on patients’ survival.

Results

CHL1 was expressed in NSCLC patients and was significantly overexpressed in lung adenocarcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas compared to neuroendocrine and large cell carcinomas of the lung (p < 0.001). CHL1 expression was associated with the T stage in adenocarcinomas (p = 0.011) and with metastatic lymph node status and UICC stage in squamous cell carcinomas (p = 0.034 and p = 0.035, respectively). Increased CHL1 expression was associated with improved survival in univariate (p = 0.031) and multivariate analyses (odds ratio 0.797, 95% confidence interval 0.677–0.939, p = 0.007).

Conclusion

The prognostic significance of CHL1 makes it a potential prognostic and therapeutic target and underlines its role as a tumour suppressor. Further validation studies and functional analyses are needed to investigate its potential role in tumourigenesis and dissemination.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the patients who willingly and generously provided data and samples for research purposes.

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Author notes

  1. Karl-F. Karstens and Michael Tachezy jointly supervised the paper.

Affiliations

  1. Department of General, Visceral and Thoracic Surgery, University Medical Centre Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistraße 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany

    Jenny Hötzel, Nathaniel Melling, Adam Polonski, Gerrit Wolters-Eisfeld, Jakob R. Izbicki, Karl-F. Karstens & Michael Tachezy

  2. Institute of Pathology, Municipal Hospital Lüneburg, Lüneburg, Germany

    Julia Müller

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  1. Jenny Hötzel
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  2. Nathaniel Melling
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Karl-F. Karstens.

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Conflict of interest

Jenny Hötzel declares that she has no conflict of interest. Nathaniel Melling declares that he has no conflict of interest. Julia Müller declares that she has no conflict of interest. Adam Polonski declares that he has no conflict of interest. Gerrit Wolters-Eisfeld declares that he has no conflict of interest. Jakob R. Izbicki declares that he has no conflict of interest. Karl-F. Karstens declares that he has no conflict of interest. Michael Tachezy declares that he has no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

Retrieval of tissue and clinical data was performed according to the regulations of the local medical association’s ethics committee and with the 1964 Helsinki Declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards as well as data safety laws.

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Informed consent was obtained from all patients enrolled in the study.

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Hötzel, J., Melling, N., Müller, J. et al. Protein expression of close homologue of L1 (CHL1) is a marker for overall survival in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 145, 2285–2292 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00432-019-02989-x

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Keywords

  • Lung cancer
  • NSCLC
  • CHL1
  • L1
  • Prognostic maker
  • Tumour marker