Expression of VGLL4 and YAP protein in gastric carcinoma tissues and tumor prognosis.

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between expression of VGLL4 and YAP protein in gastric carcinoma and adjacent normal tissues and its relationship with clinicopathological parameters and its significance in prognosis of gastric cancer.

Methods: The expression of VGLL4 and YAP protein in gastric carcinoma tissues and adjacent tissues were detected by fluorescence quantitative PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry. The relationship between the expression of VGLL4 and YAP protein and the clinicopathological parameters of gastric cancer patients was analyzed to determine its impact on the invasion and metastasis and prognosis of patients.

Results: The expression of VGLL4 protein in gastric carcinoma was lower than that in adjacent tissues, and it was negatively correlated with infiltration depth, lymph node metastasis and TNM staging; the expression of YAP protein in gastric carcinoma was higher than that in adjacent tissues, and it was positively correlated with age, tumor differentiation, depth of invasion, lymph node metastasis and TNM staging.

Conclusions: VGLL4 protein decreased in gastric cancer tissue and was negatively correlated with tumor progression and malignancy degree, suggesting that it is a potential antitumor protein; YAP protein increased in gastric cancer and is a proto-oncogene.