Study reveals that the mitotic spindle positioning (MISP) protein is overexpressed in intestinal metaplasia and gastric cancer

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Study reveals that the mitotic spindle positioning (MISP) protein is overexpressed in intestinal metaplasia and gastric cancer

Tuesday, 11.06.2024

Researchers from the Differentiation and Cancer group at i3S investigated the expression of the MISP protein and its clinical relevance in gastric cancer. The study, titled "MISP Is Overexpressed in Intestinal Metaplasia and Gastric Cancer," was recently published in the journal Current Oncology. Gastric cancer remains a major health problem worldwide, so the identification of new biomarkers and therapeutic targets is imperative. The objective of this study was to evaluate the expression of the MISP protein - which corrects the positioning of the mitotic spindle and the organization of the centrosome, affecting cytokinesis and cell migration - and its clinical relevance in gastric cancer. MISP expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in a series of 286 gastric adenocarcinomas and compared with normal gastric mucosa and intestinal metaplasia, a preneoplastic lesion. The MISP protein was detected in the membrane in 83% of cases and overexpressed in gastric cancer compared to normal gastric mucosa. Its expression was high in intestinal metaplasia, where it correlated with the expression of MUC2 and CDX2. Silencing of the MISP protein in vitro significantly decreased the viability of gastric cancer cell lines. In conclusion, the MISP protein is overexpressed in gastric cancer, is associated with an intestinal phenotype in gastric carcinogenesis, and plays a role in cell proliferation. The full version of the article can be found at https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol31050210.

 

Authors and Affiliations:

Tomás Vilarinho1, Diana Pádua1,2, Bruno Pereira1,2, Patrícia Mesquita1,2 and Raquel Almeida1,2,3

1i3S-Institute for Research and Innovation in Health, University of Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal;

2IPATIMUP-Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology, University of Porto, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal;

3Biology Department, Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal.

 

Abstract:

Gastric cancer is the fifth most common cancer and the fourth cause of global cancer mortality. The identification of new biomarkers and drug targets is crucial to allow the better prognosis and treatment of patients. The mitotic spindle positioning (MISP) protein has the function of correcting mitotic spindle positioning and centrosome clustering and has been implicated in the cytokinesis and migration of cancer cells. The goal of this work was to evaluate the expression and clinical relevance of MISP in gastric cancer. MISP expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry in a single hospital series (n=286) of gastric adenocarcinomas and compared with normal gastric mucosa and intestinal metaplasia, a preneoplastic lesion. MISP was detected on the membrane in 83% of the cases, being overexpressed in gastric cancer compared to normal gastric mucosa (n=10). Its expression was negatively associated with diffuse and poorly cohesive types. On the other hand, it was strongly expressed in intestinal metaplasia where it was associated with MUC2 and CDX2 expression. Furthermore, when we silenced MISP in vitro, a significant decrease in the viability of gastric carcinoma cells was observed. In conclusion, MISP is overexpressed in gastric cancer, being associated with an intestinal phenotype in gastric carcinogenesis and having a role in cellular proliferation.

 

Journal: Current Oncology

 

Link: https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol31050210