Expression of Survivin gene in non-small cell lung cancerand its relation with p53 and apoptosis

Objective: To investigate the expression of Survivin gene in non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) and its relation with p53 and apoptosis.Methods: Survivin and p53 expression was examed in 60 NSCLC samples and 16 benign pulmonary disease tissues by immunohistochemistry methods.Apoptosis of NSCLC samples was detected by TUNEL technique.Results: Survivin was expressed in 38 of 60 cases(63.3%) of NSCLC tissues.In contrast,benign pulmonary disease tissues did not express Survivin.The expression of Survivin gene was closely related to TNM stages,lymph node involvement,and cell differentiation,but not to histological classification,gender and ages.The positive rate of Survivin expression was significantly higher in p53-positive than in p53-negative cases(80.5% vs 26.3%, P0.01).A correlation coefficient test show an negative correlation between the apoptosis index of tumor cells and the level of Survivin expression in NSCLC(r=-(0.231),P0.05).Conclusions: Apoptosis inhibitition caused by abnormal Survivin expression may participate in the onset and progression of NSCLC.The over-expression Survivin and de-activiation of antioncogene p53 may play synergetic roles in the carcinogenesis of NSCLC.