High Tumoral KPNA2 Expression Is a PotentialBiomarker for Poor Prognosis in Advanced Neuroblastoma Patients.

Abstract

Background/aim: Karyopherin alpha 2 (KPNA2) has been reported to be associated with cancer aggressiveness and treatment resistance via transporting several cargo proteins into the nucleus, such as cancer-promoting E2F and DNA repair-related MRN complex. Recent studies have highlighted the KPNA2 functions in tumorigenesis and the progression of various cancers. However, the importance of KPNA2 expression has yet to be elucidated in clinical neuroblastoma patients. This study aimed to analyze the clinical impact of KPNA2 expression in neuroblastoma.

Materials and methods: KPNA2 expression in 81 resected neuroblastoma sections was examined using immuno-histochemical staining. The significance and prognostic value of tumoral KPNA2 expression were analyzed using our cohort and R2 database.

Results: The KPNA2 was expressed in the nucleus of neuroblastoma cells. The expression level of nuclear KPNA2 was not associated with clinicopathological factors in neuroblastoma. Among our cohort (n=81), non-radically resected neuroblastoma patients (n=37) with high KPNA2 expression had poorer prognoses than those with low KPNA2 expression. The R2 database analysis validated that the high KPNA2 expression was related to the poor prognosis in the large-scale neuroblastoma cohort.

Conclusion: KPNA2 expression evaluation in neuroblastoma is a promising indicator of prognosis in non-curative resected cases. KPNA2 targeting may be a promising therapeutic strategy against advanced neuroblastoma.