Upregulated mRNA expression of mTOR in surgically resected early stage non-small cell lung carcinoma: a potential molecular targeted therapy

Year 2017, Volume: 2 Issue: 1, 5 - 10, 16.04.2017

Muhammet Sayan , Ali Çelik Şevki Mustafa Demiröz Hacer İlke Önen Nalan Akyürek Ece Konaç İsmail Cüneyt Kurul Abdullah İrfan Taştepe

Abstract

Background: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) comprises about 85%
of all lung cancers. Although many attempts for early detection and treatment,
prognosis of NSCLC is still poor.  In
recent years the pathways and the genes that play role in lung cancer
development were researched widely. PI3K/AKT/MTOR which is thought to be
efficacious in the development of many cancer which controls the expression of
many genes playing an important role in cell proliferation, metastasis,
resistance to apoptosis and angiogenesis. Also the increase in CCND1 expression
was shown in several cancer types. The aim of this study is to search the mRNA
expression profile of AKT, MTOR and CCND1 genes which has been thought to
play role in NSCLC development, and their expression in different pathological
stages and histological types of the disease.

Materials and Methods: Forty-four NSCLC patients who didn’t get neoadjuvant
therapy were included in this study. The samples from tumor and matched normal
lung tissue were obtained from resection specimens (lobectomy or
pneumonectomy). Total cellular RNA was isolated from the samples. The mRNA
expression levels of AKT1, mTOR and CCND1 genes were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase
chain reaction (qPCR).

Results:
Our findings revealed a statistically significant increase of mTOR expression on mRNA levels (P < 0.05).
Although AKT and CCND1 expression slightly increased in malign tissues, these
changes in the expression were not significant (P > 0.05).  The mRNA expression of mTOR was also
upregulated and it was statistically significant for early stage disease and
adenocarcinoma subtype (P < 0.05).

Conclusions: Inhibition of mTOR gene expression at mRNA level
might be potential target for future treatment strategies of NSCLC.

Keywords

non-small cell lung cancer, mRNA expression, AKT1, mTOR, CCND1

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