Polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase-6 expression in gastric cancer

Figures & data

Figure 1 Expression levels of GALNT6 mRNA and protein in GC.

Notes: (A) The expression of GALNT6 mRNA from 15 paired patients (P1–P15) with GC was analyzed by using qPCR. Relative mRNA levels were normalized to GAPDH. GALNT6 expression in GC tissues was significantly higher than those in adjacent tissues (P<0.001). (B) The expression levels of GALNT6 protein were quantified via Western blotting. A total of 15 paired cases of the Western blot results are shown in B. The expression levels of GALNT6 protein dramatically increased in GC tissues compared with those in adjacent gastric tissues.
Abbreviations: GC, gastric cancer; N, nontumor adjacent tissues; qPCR, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction; T, tumor tissues.

Figure 2 Representative images of GALNT6 IHC staining in gastric tissues.

Notes: Adjacent gastric tissues and GC tissues were subjected to IHC evaluation. GALNT6 expression was absent or very weakly detectable in normal gastric mucosa. GALNT6 was strongly expressed in GC tissues, and predominantly localized in the cytoplasm of tumor cells. The immunostaining pattern of GALNT6 was diffused or perinuclear in GC cells.
Abbreviations: GC, gastric cancer; IHC, immunohistochemistry.

Table 1 Correlation of GALNT6 expression with GC and adjacent gastric tissues

Tissue type	GALNT6 expression		P-value
	Positive, n (%)	Negative, n (%)
GC	218 (79.3)	57 (20.7)	<0.001
Adjacent gastric tissues	64 (23.3)	211 (76.7)

Abbreviation: GC, gastric cancer.

Table 2 Relationship between GALNT6 expression and clinical characteristics

Characteristics	Cases, n	GALNT6 expression
		Low, n	High, n	P-value
Gender				0.677
Male	212	114	98
Female	63	32	31
Age				0.446
≦60 years	117	59	58
>60 years	158	87	71
Tumor size				0.367
≤5 cm	138	77	61
>5 cm	137	69	68
Histologic grade				0.264
Moderate/well	99	57	42
Poor	176	89	87
Tumor stage				0.026
I–II	92	59	33
III	79	40	39
IV	104	47	57
Lymphatic metastasis				0.064
N0	81	50	31
N1	194	96	98
Distant metastasis				0.034
M0	202	115	87
M1	73	31	42

Figure 3 Analyses of overall survival based on the expression of intratumoral GALNT6 in patients with GC (n=275).

Note: The Kaplan–Meier survival curves demonstrated that a high level of GALNT6 expression was significantly associated with poor overall survival.
Abbreviation: GC, gastric cancer.

Figure 4 Expression of GALNT6 and related proteins in GC tissues in the validation study.

Notes: (A) Representative case A showed high expression levels of GALNT6 and MMP9 and low expression levels of E-cadherin and β-catenin. Case B showed low expression levels of GALNT6 and MMP9 and high expression levels of E-cadherin and β-catenin. (B) GALNT6, MMP9, E-cadherin, and β-catenin expression levels in the same representative tissue samples, as quantified by Western blotting. Higher expression levels of GALNT6 were correlated with higher lower expression level MMP9 and lower expression levels of E-cadherin and β-catenin.
Abbreviation: GC, gastric cancer.

Table 3 Relationship between GALNT6 expression and protein molecules of MMP9, E-cadherin, and β-catenin

Characteristics	Cases, n	GALNT6 expression
		Low, n	High, n	P-value
MMP9				<0.001
Low	85	59	26
High	190	87	103
E-cadherin				0.038
Low	227	114	113
High	48	32	16
β-catenin				0.047
Low	202	100	102
High	73	46	27