Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 9, 2026
Monitoring eIF4F Assembly by Measuring eIF4E-eIF4G Interaction in Live Cells
Published on: May 1, 2020
Downregulation of EIF4A2 in non-small-cell lung cancer associates with poor prognosis
Xi Shaoyan1, Yong Juanjuan, Tao Yalan
1Department of Pathology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China.
Background:
EIF4A2, which belongs to the eukaryotic initiation factor 4A family, is a highly conserved gene for one of the protein-synthesis initiation factors involved in the binding of messenger RNA to the ribosome. The role of EIF4A2 in some cancers, eg, breast cancer and melanoma, has been studied. However, the clinical significance and biologic role of EIF4A2 in lung cancer remains unknown.
Patients And Methods:
A total of 170 patients with non-small-cell lung cancer who were undergoing surgical resection were studied. We applied the tissue microarray by using immunohistochemistry to study the expression of EIF4A2 in patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Results:
We found that the expression rate of EIF4A2 in NSCLC was 87.6%. The expression of EIF4A2 was significantly correlated with the histopathologic classification (P = .049) and tumor grade (P < .019). Moreover, NSCLC patients with low EIF4A2 expression survived shorter than those with high EIF4A2 expression, as indicated by overall survival (P = .023) and disease-free survival (P = .011) assessed by the Kaplan-Meier method. In addition, multivariate analysis suggested EIF4A2 as an independent predictor of disease-free survival (hazard ratio 0.543 [95% CI, 0.329-0.897]; P = .017).
Conclusion:
Collectively, our study demonstrated that EIF4A2 was remarkably involvement in the development of NSCLC and could be served as a potential prognostic marker for patients with this deadly disease.
Insights
Eukaryotic initiation factor 4A2 (EIF4A2) is involved in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) development. High EIF4A2 expression predicts better survival, suggesting its potential as a prognostic marker for NSCLC patients.
Area of Science:
- Molecular biology
- Oncology
- Cancer research
Background:
- Eukaryotic initiation factor 4A2 (EIF4A2) is a conserved protein synthesis factor.
- Its role in breast cancer and melanoma is known, but its significance in lung cancer is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the clinical significance and biological role of EIF4A2 in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
Main Methods:
- Immunohistochemistry was used to analyze EIF4A2 expression in 170 NSCLC patient tissue samples.
- Tissue microarrays were employed for expression analysis.
Main Results:
- EIF4A2 was expressed in 87.6% of NSCLC cases.
- Expression correlated significantly with histopathologic classification and tumor grade.
- Low EIF4A2 expression was associated with shorter overall and disease-free survival.
- Multivariate analysis identified EIF4A2 as an independent predictor of disease-free survival.
Conclusions:
- EIF4A2 plays a significant role in NSCLC development.
- EIF4A2 is a potential prognostic marker for NSCLC patients.
