PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Nobuyuki Yanagisawa
AU  - Masaaki Ichinoe
AU  - Tetuo Mikami
AU  - Norihiro Nakada
AU  - Kiyomi Hana
AU  - Wasaburo Koizumi
AU  - Hitoshi Endou
AU  - Isao Okayasu
TI  - High expression of L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) predicts poor prognosis in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas
AID  - 10.1136/jclinpath-2012-200826
DP  - 2012 Nov 01
TA  - Journal of Clinical Pathology
PG  - 1019--1023
VI  - 65
IP  - 11
4099  - http://jcp.bmj.com/content/65/11/1019.short
4100  - http://jcp.bmj.com/content/65/11/1019.full
SO  - J Clin Pathol2012 Nov 01; 65
AB  - Background and aims Molecular target therapy against L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) is unique and expected to be developed soon. LAT1 expression was investigated in pancreatic cancer as a prognostic predictor. Methods Surgically resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC, n=66) were investigated using immunohistochemistry. For reference, intraductal papillary mucinous carcinomas (IPMC, including intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) with high-grade dysplasia or with an associated invasive carcinoma, n=13) and adenomas (IPMA, including IPMN with low- and intermediate-grade dysplasia, n=5) were also examined. Results LAT1 expression scores increased from PDAC to IPMA to IPMC. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed significant differences between LAT1-high and -low scores in PDAC. Even in each Ki-67-labelling index (LI) low and high PDAC group (cut off 40%), high LAT1 expression could also predict poor prognosis. Multivariable analysis showed that LAT1 expression, Ki-67 LI, tumour differentiation and size were individual prognostic factors. Conclusions LAT1 aberrant overexpression in PDAC predicts poor prognosis, independent of Ki-67 LI, and offers a potential target for future anticancer therapy with its inhibitors.