J Korean Med Sci.  2003 Aug;18(4):494-500. 10.3346/jkms.2003.18.4.494.

Thyroid Transcription Factor-1 (TTF-1) Expression in Human Lung Carcinomas: Its Prognostic Implication and Relationship with Expressions of p53 and Ki-67 Proteins

• Myong NH

• KMID: 648899
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2003.18.4.494

Abstract

This study was aimed to evaluate the prevalence and prognostic implication of thyroid transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) immunoreactivity in 81 human lung carcinomas, including 65 cases of non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) and 16 cases of small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC); and also to investigate its relationship with the cell proliferation and regulation by immunostaining of Ki-67 and p53 proteins, respectively. The immunohistochemical staining for TTF-1(clone 8G7G3/1) was performed and several clinicopathologic variables and the follow-up data were obtained. The immuno-staining results for TTF-1 were semiquantitatively interpreted as negative and positive. Of NSCLCs, TTF-1 is highly expressed in adenocarcinomas (76%), whereas squamous cell carcinomas revealed no immunoreactivity (0%). SCLCs showed strong TTF-1 expression (88%). In NSCLC, TTF-1 expression was inversely correlated with Ki-67 proliferative activity and independent of p53 overexpression. TTF-1(+) group tended to show better survival than TTF-1(-) group in NSCLC. Conclusively, these observations suggest that TTF-1 is a sensitive and specific diagnostic marker for pulmonary adenocarcinomas and SCLCs; that TTF-1 might have a good prognostic implication based on its inverse correlation with Ki-67 proliferative activity and tendency for better survival in NSCLC; that this cell lineage marker may play a role in the molecular pathogenesis of lung cancers at the level of transcription.

Keyword

Transcription Factors; Thyroid Transcription factor-1 (TTF-1) Expression; Human; Lung Neoplasm; Ki-67 antigen; Protein p53; Pathogenesis

MeSH Terms

Adenocarcinoma/diagnosis/metabolism
Adult
Aged
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/diagnosis/*metabolism/mortality
Carcinoma, Small Cell/diagnosis/*metabolism/mortality
Cell Division
Cell Line, Tumor
Cell Lineage
Female
Human
Immunohistochemistry
Ki-67 Antigen/*biosynthesis
Lung Neoplasms/diagnosis/*metabolism/mortality
Male
Middle Aged
Nuclear Proteins/*biosynthesis
Prognosis
Protein p53/*biosynthesis
Sensitivity and Specificity
Time Factors
Transcription Factors/*biosynthesis
Transcription, Genetic
Tumor Markers, Biological