Identification of factors associated with increased CRABP1 gene expression in patients with squamous intraepithelial lesions and cervical cancer

Abstract

Cellular Retinoic Acid Binding Protein-1 (CRABP1) facilitates retinoid metabolism; however, an abnormal expression might influence cancers developed. Biopsy samples were evaluated from patients with cervical cancer (CC), high-grade (HSIL), and low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) (n= 66) Clinic/pathological information was obtained from patients. CRABP1 gene expression was examined by RT-PCR and CRABP1 protein by immunohistochemistry (IHC) techniques. The expression of the CRABP1 gene is shown to be significantly lower in the HSIL group (p= 0.008). CRABP1 protein was expressed in 90.3% of tissues, and only in CC was presented absence of protein (9.7%). Overweight/obesity might increase the gene (p= 0.019) but not the protein expression (p= 0.053). Also, a gene expression increase was shown in high serum retinol concentration (p= 0.047) and the presence of HVP-16 (p= 0.011) (gene expression but not the protein, p > 0.05). Menopause patients were associated with an absent/weak CRABP1 immunostaining (p= 0.008). Finally, CRABP1 and associated factors might be used as biomarkers to track the progression and persistence of cervical cancer on tissue.