Middle East Journal of Cancer

Urothelial Carcinoma Stage and Grade Association with the Expression Levels of Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 4E and 4E Binding Protein 1

Document Type : Original Article(s)

Authors

Mohammad Naji 1
Mahsa Yaghobinejad 2
Sepideh Mirzaei 3
Seyed Abdolhamid Angaji 3
Hajar Saber 1
Mahmoud Parvin 4
Farzaneh Sharifiaghdas 1

1 Urology and Nephrology Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

2 Anatomy Department, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

3 Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran

4 Department of Pathology, Shahid Labbafinejad Medical Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran

https://doi.org/10.30476/mejc.2024.102811.2110
Abstract
Background: Bladder cancer (BCa) accounts for the fourth most common cancer among men. Eukaryote translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) and its regulatory binding protein (4E-BP1) abnormal expression have been identified in numerous cancers. Therefore, we hypothesized and examined the existence of a connection between eIF4E and 4E-BP1 dysregulation and urothelial cancer (UC) in human subjects by employing more sensitive protein and gene expression experiments in both superficial and muscle-invasive UC.
Method: In this case-control study, the eIF4E and 4E-BP1 mRNA and protein levels were assessed in snap-frozen tissue samples of normal (n = 23), superficial (n = 38) and muscle invasive (n = 29) UC by immunohistochemical staining, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot. A comparison of different groups was carried out by Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests using Graph Pad prism version 9. P < 0.05 were considered as significant.
Results: In addition to elevated expression for both eIF4E and 4E-BP1 in the UC group, we also considered upregulated patterns in both superficial and invasive UC as compared with the control group. An upregulated pattern was predominant in superficial group. Moreover, we observed diminished expression of eIF4E and 4E-BP1 in high-grade tissues of both superficial and invasive subjects compared with low-grade ones (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: The present data indicates a possible link between decreased 4E-BP1 expression and high-grade UC that might be associated with expression of cancer promoting genes. Whilst eIF4E may play a role in low grade UC.

Highlights

Mohammad Naji (Google Scholar)

Farzaneh Sharifiaghdas (Google Scholar)

Keywords

Carcinoma
Transitional cell
Eukaryotic initiation factor-4E
4E-BP1
Urothelial cancer
Subjects

How to cite this article:

Naji M, Yaghobinejad M, Mirzaei S, Angaji SA, Saber H, Parvin M, et al. Urothelial Carcinoma Stage and Grade Association with the Expression Levels of Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 4E and 4E Binding Protein 1. Middle East J Cancer. 2025;16(3):267-78. doi: 10.30476/mejc.2024.102811.2110.

 

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Middle East Journal of Cancer
Volume 16, Issue 3
Summer 2025
Pages 267-278

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