BACKGROUNDTo investigate the expression features of the heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2/B1 (hnRNP A2/B1) in non-small cell lung cancer and its clinical significance.

METHODShnRNP A2/B1 expression of cancer tissues, paracancerous lung tissues, resected bronchial stump epithelium tissues was detected in 58 non-small cell lung cancer patients and pulmonary tissues in 30 patients with benigh pulmonary lesions as control by immunohistochemistry methods.

RESULTSThe positive expressive rate of hnRNP A2/B1 in lung cancer tissue (63.79%) was significantly higher than those in paracancerous lung tissue (43.10%) and benign pulmonary lesion tissues (20.00%) (P=0.000), and the positive rate in paracancerous lung tissue was also significantly higher than that in benign pulmonary lesion tissues (P < 0.05). The positive rate of hnRNP A2/B1 in the hyperplastic and dysplastic epithelium (40.00%) of resected bronchial stump was remarkably higher than that in normal bronchial epithelium (15.15%) in lung cancer patients (P=0.032). The positive rate of hnRNP A2/B1 in poor differentiated lung cancer (78.13%) was remarkably higher than that in moderate and well differentiated lung cancer (46.15%) (P < 0.05). The positive rate of hnRNP A2/B1 in lung cancer with lymph node metastasis (75.00%) was significantly higher than that without lymph node metastasis (50.00%) (P < 0.05). The positive rate of hnRNP A2/B1 in stage III+IV disease (78.57%) was significantly higher than that in stage I+II disease (50.00%) (P < 0.05). The positive rate of hnRNP A2/B1 in T3+T4 cancer (77.42%) was significantly higher than that in T1+T2 cancer (48.15%) (P < 0.05). The positive rate of hnRNP A2/B1 expression in lung cancer tissues was not related to histological classification of the cancer (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSThe overexpression of hnRNP A2/B1 in cancer tissues may play an important role in the oncogenesis, development and metastasis of lung cancer. Detection of hnRNP A2/B1 expression may be helpful to diagnose lung cancer and to predict prognosis of the patients with lung cancer.