B-cell leukemia/lymphoma 11A (BCL11A) may be one of the potential biomarkers of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, its role in the development of this cancer has not yet been precisely established. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of BCL11A at the mRNA and protein levels in NSCLC cases and non-malignant lung tissue (NMLT) and to determine the relationship between BCL11A expression and the clinicopathological factors and Ki-67, Slug, Snail and Twist. The localization and the level of BCL11A protein were examined using immunohistochemistry (IHC) on 259 cases of NSCLC, and 116 NMLT samples were prepared as tissue microarrays and using immunofluorescence (IF) in the following cell lines: NCI-H1703, A549 and IMR-90. The mRNA expression of BCL11A was determined using real-time PCR in 33 NSCLC cases, 10 NMLT samples and the cell lines. BCL11A protein expression was significantly higher in NSCLC cases compared to NMLT. Nuclear expression was found in lung squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cells, while cytoplasmic expression was demonstrated in adenocarcinoma (AC) cells. Nuclear expression of BCL11A decreased with increasing malignancy grade and correlated positively with Ki-67 and Slug and Twist expression. The opposite relationships were found for the cytoplasmic expression of BCL11A. Nuclear expression of BCL11A in NSCLC cells may affect tumor cell proliferation and change their phenotype, thus promoting tumor progression.
Keywords: BCL11A; Ki-67; non-small cell lung cancer; slug; snail; twist.