Expression of P-glycoprotein,multidrug resistance associated protein,lung resistance-related protein,P53 and c-erbB-2 in non-small cell lung cancer

Objective:To investigate the expression of P-glycoprotein(P-gp),multidrug resistance-related protein(MRP),lung resistance-related protein(LRP),P53 and c-erbB-2 in untreated non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) and their relationship with each other.Methods: The expression of P-gp,MRP,LRP,P53 and c-erbB-2 was detected in the carcinoma tissues of 78 NSCLC patients and 15 adjacent normal lung tissues(5 cm apart from tumors) by means of immunohistochemistry.Results: The positive rates of P-gp,MRP,LRP,P53 and c-erbB-2 in tumor tissues were 65.4%,39.7%,56.4%,53.8% and 43.6%,respectively,all significantly higher than those in normal tissues(P0.05).There was also significant difference in MRP and LRP expression between different pathologic types of NSCLC(squamous cell carcinoma,adenocarcinoma,large cell carcinoma)(P=0.008 and 0.001,respectively).Expression of LRP and P53 was also significantly different between different degrees of pathological differentiation(well,moderate,poor)(P=0.025 and 0.026,respectively).The expression of c-erbB-2 was correlated with those of P-gp,MRP,LRP and P53(Spearman R=0.317,0.401,0.519 and 0.341,respectively;P=0.005,(0.001,) 0.001 and =0.002,respectively);the expression of P53 was correlated with that of MRP(Spearman R=0.260,(P=)(0.022);) and the expression of LRP was correlated with that of MRP(Spearman R=0.371,P=(0.001).) Conclusion: Overexpression of P-gp,MRP,LRP,P53 and c-erbB-2 may play a cooperative role in the drug resistance and development of NSCLC.