Expression and prognostic significance of melatonin receptor MT1 in patients with gastric adenocarcinoma

Xiao-Ting Wang, Can-Wei Chen, Xiao-Ming Zheng, Bin Wang, Shu-Xia Zhang, Mei-Hong Yao, Hu Chen,  Hui-Fang Huang

Abstract:

Melatonin receptor type 1 (MTNR1A or MT1) is known to play an important role in cancer progression; however, its prognostic value for resected gastric adenocarcinoma (RGA) is unknown. In this study, we examined the potential of MT1 as a prognostic biomarker for RGA. The expression of the MT1 was evaluated in 67 patients with RGA by immunohistochemistry, and the relationship between MT1 levels and RGA prognosis was analyzed by Chi-square test, multivariate Cox regression, Kaplan-Meier method, and log-rank test. High MT1 expression was associated with a poor survival rate (29.0%, p=0.002) and the occurrence of metastasis (62.9%, p=0.004). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and log rank tests revealed that patients with high expression of the MT1 had significantly shorter median overall survival compared to those with low expression (33.0 vs. 65.0 months, respectively; p=0.02). Multivariate Cox analysis indicated that the calculated death risk (hazard ratio [HR]) in patients with high expression levels of the MT1 increased to 2.68 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.21–5.94, p=0.015), which was higher compared to those with low levels. HR of death was also high in patients with advanced T stage (2.51; 95 % CI 1.00–6.26, p=0.049) and metastasis (5.02; 95% CI 1.94–13.03, p=0.001). Our results showed that high MT1 expression in primary gastric adenocarcinoma tissues was associated with the occurrence of metastasis and poor prognosis. It may have prognostic significance as a potential biomarker in patients with RGA.