Clinicopathological significance of expression of TTF-1 and Gli1 protein in lung cancer tissue

Objective To study the clinicopathological significance of the expression of TTF-1 and Gli1 protein in lung adenocarcinoma and metastatic pulmonary adenocarcinoma. Methods The expression of TTF-1 and Gli1 protein in 56 lung adenocarcinoma specimens and 10 metastatic pulmonary adenocarcinoma tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry. The relationship between the protein expression and clinicopathological features was analyzed. Results Overexpression of TTF-1 protein was shown in 44 cases of lung adenocarcinoma tissues,which was much higher than that in metastatic pulmonary adenocarcinoma tissues( χ2= 13. 78,P 0. 001). Gli1 was overexpressed in 36 lung adenocarcinoma tissues,which was higher than that in metastatic pulmonary adenocarcinoma tissues,but there was no statistically significant difference between them( P 0. 05). Both of TTF-1 and Gli1 expression had correlation with tumor lymph node metastasis( χ2= 8. 346,P 0. 004; χ2 = 4. 192,P 0. 041),but there was no association between their expression( P 0. 05). Conclusions TTF-1 and Gli1 are upregulated in lung adenocarcinoma tissues. Both of them are related to tumor lymph node metastasis. They may independently affect the development of lung cancer.