PTP4A3 (PRL-3) expression correlate with lymphatic metastases in gastric cancer.

Many studies have proved that protein tyrosine phosphatase type IVAmember 3 (PTP4A3, PRL-3) plays a major role in the metastasis of gastric cancer, especially to local lymph nodes. The objective of the current study was to assess the expression of PTP4A3 in gastric cancer in correlation with chosen anatomoclinical parameters and patients' survival. Atotal of 71 patients with gastric carcinomas were divided according to Lauren's, Goseki's, Bormann's and Kubo's classifications. The level of PTP4A3 was determined immunohistochemically using a mouse monoclonal anti-PTP4A3 antibody (clone 3B6, anti-human PTP4A3, Attogen Biomedical Research, USA). A statistically significant correlation was observed between PTP4A3 and Kubo's classifications (p=0.0454) and on the verge of statistical significance with Lauren's classification (p=0.0503). The expression of the protein was associated more with the poorly-differentiated mucoid carcinoma and diffused-type carcinoma (58% of cases). We demonstrated a statistically significant correlation between local lymph node involvement and positive expression of PTP4A3 in the primary tumour (p=0.0000). The current study seems to prove that PTP4A3 may have a significant impact on the lymphatic spread of gastric carcinoma. The protein expression is also significantly associated with gastric carcinomas having a worse prognosis, although patients' survival rate showed lack of correlation with PTP4A3 expression.