Overexpression of AQP5 in cervical cancer: correlation with clinicopathological features and prognosis

Accumulating evidence for overexpression of AQP5 in various types of human cancer suggests that it plays a key role in tumor biology. However, little is known about the function of AQP5 in human cervical cancer. This study was to investigate the expression profile of AQP5 in cervical cancer and its clinical significance. We detected the expression profile of AQP5 mRNA and protein in cervical cancer tissue and in corresponding normal tissue by qRT-PCR and western blotting. Immunohistochemistry was also used in the detection of AQP5 protein expression as well as the proliferation index of Ki-67. The clinicopathological implications of these proteins were analyzed statistically. Survival analysis was performed to assess prognostic significance. AQP5 mRNA was overexpressed in cervical cancer tissue when compared with corresponding normal tissue, so was AQP5 protein. Overexpression of AQP5 was significantly associated with lymph node involvement (P = 0.004). Overexpression of Ki-67 was associated with lymph node involvement (P = 0.018) and disease stage (P = 0.005). It was demonstrated a positive correlation between AQP5 and Ki-67 (r = 0.543, P < 0.01). Survival analysis revealed that overexpression of AQP5 and Ki-67 is associated with a poorer prognosis. These observations suggest that AQP5 plays a key role in cervical cancer and therefore may provide an opportunity for developing a novel therapeutic target as well as a prognostic marker in cervical cancer. Its evaluation with Ki-67 may provide reliable prognostic information on cervical cancer.