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Published on: June 23, 2023
High expression of CRAM correlates with poor prognosis in patients with cervical carcinoma
Teng Hou1, Dongxia Liang2, Dong Yang3
1State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine Guangzhou, GD 510060, China.
Aims:
Atypical chemokine receptors (ACRs) have been reported to scavenge or alter the localization of their chemokine ligands. However, CRAM, a newly identified ACR member, is lack of ligand scavenging properties. The present study was to investigate the clinical significance of CRAM in cervical carcinoma.
Methods:
The expression of CRAM in primary cervical cancer and paired normal tissues from adjacent regions was examined using Real time PCR. Moreover, CRAM protein expression was analyzed in 272 cervical specimens including 50 normal cervical tissues, 40 cases of carcinoma in situ of cervix (CIS), and 182 cases of cervical cancer by immunohistochemistry.
Results:
Real time PCR showed that the expression level of CRAM was markedly higher in cervical cancer than that in normal cervical tissues. The expression rate of CRAM in normal cervical tissues, CIS, and cervical cancer increased gradually (p < 0.01). In addition, the expression level of CCL19 was positively associated with that of CRAM (p < 0.05). Moreover, high expression level of CRAM was correlated with lymph node metastasis and histological subtype. In multivariate Cox regression analysis, high expression level of CRAM was a negative indicator for both overall (p = 0.028) and recurrence-free survival (p = 0.010).
Conclusion:
The present study suggested that CRAM could be a clinical prognostic marker for patients with cervical cancer and might be a potential therapeutic target for cervical cancer. Our data extended previous research on the predictive value of ACRs.
Insights
Chemokine receptor CRAM is highly expressed in cervical cancer, correlating with poor prognosis and lymph node metastasis. This suggests CRAM could be a prognostic marker and therapeutic target for cervical cancer.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunology
- Molecular Biology
Background:
- Atypical chemokine receptors (ACRs) typically regulate chemokine ligand localization.
- CRAM, a novel ACR, lacks ligand scavenging properties.
- The clinical relevance of CRAM in cervical cancer remains unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the clinical significance of CRAM in cervical carcinoma.
- To evaluate CRAM as a potential prognostic biomarker for cervical cancer patients.
Main Methods:
- Real-time PCR was used to assess CRAM mRNA expression in cervical cancer and normal tissues.
- Immunohistochemistry analyzed CRAM protein levels in 272 cervical specimens (normal, CIS, cancer).
Main Results:
- CRAM expression was significantly elevated in cervical cancer compared to normal tissues.
- CRAM expression increased progressively from normal tissues to carcinoma in situ (CIS) and cervical cancer.
- High CRAM expression correlated with lymph node metastasis, histological subtype, and poorer overall and recurrence-free survival.
Conclusions:
- CRAM serves as a potential clinical prognostic marker for cervical cancer.
- CRAM may represent a novel therapeutic target for cervical cancer treatment.
- These findings expand the understanding of ACRs' predictive value in cancer.
