AUTHOR=Zhang Guangwen , Hao Yongfei , Chen Ling , Li Zengshan , Gao Langlang , Tian Jian , Qiao Qing , Zhang Jinsong 

TITLE=Expression of aquaporin 1, 3 and 5 in colorectal carcinoma: correlation with clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis

JOURNAL=Pathology and Oncology Research

VOLUME=Volume 29 - 2023

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.por-journal.com/journals/pathology-and-oncology-research/articles/10.3389/pore.2023.1611179

DOI=10.3389/pore.2023.1611179

ISSN=1532-2807

ABSTRACT=Background: Prognostic biomarkers in colorectal carcinoma(CRC) have an important role in therapeutic strategy. Studies have shown that high expression of Aquaporin(AQP) is associated with poor prognosis in a variety of human tumors. AQP is involved in the initiation and development of CRC. The present study aimed to investigate the correlation between the expression of AQP1, 3 and 5 and clinicopathological features or prognosis in CRC. 
Methods: The AQP1, 3 and 5 expressions were analyzed based on the immunohistochemical staining of tissue microarray specimens including 112 patients with CRC between June 2006 and November 2008. The expression score of AQP (Allred_score and H_score) was digitally obtained with Qupath software. Patients were divided into high or low expression subgroups based on the optimal cut-off values. The relationship between expression of AQP and clinicopathological characteristics was evaluated using chi-square test, t-test, or one-way ANOVA, when appropriate. Survival analysis of 5-year progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) was performed with time-dependent ROC, Kaplan-Meier curves, univariate and multivariate COX analysis. 
Results: The AQP1, 3 and 5 expressions were associated with regional lymph node metastasis, histological grading, and tumor location in CRC, respectively (P<0.05). Kaplan-Meier curves showed that patients with high AQP1 expression had worse 5-year PFS than those with low AQP1 expression (Allred_score: 47% vs 72%, P=0.015; H_score: 52% vs 78% P=0.006), as well as 5-year OS (Allred_score: 51% vs 75%, P=0.005; H_score: 56% vs 80%, P=0.002). Multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that AQP1 expression was an independent risk prognostic factor (P=0.033, HR=2.274, HR95%CI: 1.069-4.836). There was no significant correlation between the expression of AQP3 and 5 and the prognosis. 
Conclusion: The AQP1, 3 and 5 expressions correlate with different clinicopathological characteristics and the AQP1 expression may be a potential biomarker of prognosis in CRC.