BACKGROUNDTo investigate the relationship between expression of PKC-βI, apoptosis and prognosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODSThe expression of PKC-βI and apoptosis index (AI) were detected in 119 human NSCLC tissues and paracancerous tissues by LSAB and TUNEL, with 32 benign pulmonary disease tissues as control.

RESULTS(1)The expression of PKC-βI (82.27%) in NSCLC tissues was significantly higher than those (62.85% and 50.47%) in paracancerous tissues and benign pulmonary disease tissues (P < 0.05). The AI (5.27%) in NSCLC tissues was significantly lower than that ( 15.84%) in benign pulmonary disease tissues (P < 0.05). (2) No significant relationship was observed between the expression of PKC-βI and clinical physiopathological characteristics of NSCLC (P > 0.05). The AI was closely related to pTNM stage of the cancer, size of primary tumor and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05), but not to the histological classification, cell differentiation, sex and age of the patients with NSCLC (P > 0.05). (3) A highly significant negative correlation was observed between PKC-βI expression and AI in NSCLC group (P < 0.01). (4) The 5-year survival rate (7.37%) in patients with high PKC-βI expression was much lower than that (37.06%) in patients with low PKC-βI expression (P < 0.01). The 5-year survi-val rate ( 39.24%) in patients with high AI was much higher than that (6.14%) in patients with low AI (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe abnormal activation of PKC-βI and suppression of apoptosis may play important roles in the oncogenesis and prognosis of lung cancer. Detection of PKC-βI expression and AI may help to predict the prognosis of patients with NSCLC and guide the postoperative multimodality therapy.