PURPOSE: The chemokine receptor CXCR4 has been reported to be aberrantly expressed in human cancer and has been shown to participate in cancer metastasis. We compared the expression of CXCR4 in conventional high-grade and low-grade central osteosarcomas, and determined if an association between CXCR4 expression and prognosis could be made. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed the immunohistochemistry for CXCR4 in a total of 63 patients with osteosarcoma and determined the relationships according to the clinicopathologic variables and overall survival rates. RESULTS: CXCR4 was detected in 76.3% of conventional high-grade osteosarcoma patients and in 36% of low-grade central osteosarcomas. Diffuse expression was noted in 47.4% of the high-grade osteosarcomas and all low-grade cases were focal positive. CXCR4 expression was significantly correlated with histologic grade (p<0.0001). While overall survival rate was reduced significantly with increased CXCR4 expression (p=0.0058), higher histologic grade (p<0.0001), and younger age (p=0.0140), survival rate did not correlate with gender, tumor size, or AJCC stage. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that CXCR4 expression is associated with higher-grade tumors and with poor prognosis for osteosarcoma patients.
Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Osteosarcoma ; Prognosis ; Survival Rate

BACKGROUND: Carbonic anhydrase IX (CA9) is reportedly overexpressed in several types of carcinomas, but little is known about the expression pattern of CA9 in osteosarcoma. We aimed to assess the prevalence of CA9 expression and its prognostic implications in osteosarcoma patients. METHODS: We compared immunohistochemical expression of CA9 between conventional, high-grade and low-grade, central osteosarcomas. Specimens were obtained before chemotherapy and stained with anti-human CA9 antibody. We also evaluated the histologic grade, presence of metastasis, and patient prognosis. RESULTS: Among 38 samples of conventional high-grade osteosarcoma, 22 (57.9%) tumors displayed CA9 overexpression. Twenty-five cases of low-grade central osteosarcomas were all negative (p < 0.0001). CA9 expression was significantly associated with the presence of metastasis (p = 0.0010). The overall survival rate was significantly reduced with increased CA9 expression (p = 0.0012), higher histologic grade (p < 0.0001), and younger age (p = 0.0140). However, the overall survival rate was not significantly correlated with gender, tumor size, or American Joint Committee on Cancer stage. CONCLUSIONS: CA9 expression is a frequent and tumor-specific event in osteosarcoma. CA9 expression is associated with higher grade tumors, metastasis and poor prognosis for the osteosarcoma patients.
Antigens, Neoplasm ; Carbon ; Carbonic Anhydrases ; Humans ; Joints ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Osteosarcoma ; Prevalence ; Prognosis ; Survival Rate

PURPOSE: The metastatic tumor antigen (MTA) gene is a recently identified metastasis-associated gene which has implications in the signal transduction or regulation of gene expression. However, the expression of MTA in osteosarcoma and its potential relationship with metastasis have not been examined, forming the basis of this study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We compared the expression levels of the MTA1 protein between 32 cases of high- grade osteosarcomas and 21 cases of low-grade osteosarcomas by immunohistochemistry. In addition, the mRNA expression levels of MTA1, 2, 3 in these osteosarcoma cell lines and control fibroblasts were evaluated by real-time quantitative PCR. RESULTS: MTA1 immunoreactivity was present in 81.25% of high-grade osteosarcoma specimens. Its expression was predominantly localized to the nucleus or cytoplasm of osteosarcoma cells. Thirteen (86.6%) of 15 patients who died of osteosarcomas displayed strong MTA1 expression. Both primary bone and pulmonary metastatic lesions exhibited MTA1 expression. All low- grade osteosarcomas were negative for MTA1 except for focal weak reactivity in two cases. The tested high-grade osteosarcoma cell lines showed marked amplification of MTA1 and MTA2 mRNA compared to control cells. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that MTA might be involved in the progression of high-grade osteosarcoma, particularly in hematogenous metastasis of osteosarcoma.
Cell Line ; Cytoplasm ; Fibroblasts ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Osteosarcoma* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Messenger ; Signal Transduction ; Pemetrexed