BACKGROUNDTo investigate the expression feature of Cx43 protein in non-small cell lung cancer and its clinical significance.

METHODSParaffin embedded tissues from 65 patients with primary non-small cell lung cancer and 20 adjacent non-cancerous lung tissues were investigated for expression of Cx43 protein by immunohistochemistry (ABC method). The relationship between Cx43 protein expression and clinicopathological characteristics of lung cancer was analyzed.

RESULTSCx43 protein was positively expressed in 24 out of 65 lung cancer tissues (36.92%), and in all 20 adjacent non-cancerous lung tissues. There was a significant difference in Cx43 expression between stage I-II and stage III-IV groups ( P < 0.05), as well as between moderate-well and poor differentiation groups ( P < 0.01). Primary lung cancer tissues with lymph node metastasis showed lower expression of Cx43 than those without lymph node metastasis ( P < 0.01). The positive rate of Cx43 expression was not related to histological classification ( P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSCx43 expression might play a role in the genesis, development and metastasis of lung cancer. It may be used to judge the biological behavior of lung cancer.