Expression of Autophagy Markers Beclin-1 and LC3 in Cervical Cancer

The accuracy of current prognostic factors in cervical cancer progression remains controversial. This progression may be understood through molecular markers of autophagy, BECLIN 1 and LC3.

Assessment of expression of Beclin-1 & LC3 in cervical cancer to find an accurate prognostic marker of cancer progression.

In this case control study, 43 cervical tissue biopsy samples were analysed for Beclin-1 and LC3 gene expression. A gene was considered down regulated when band intensity was lower than 2 SD of that for normal cervical tissue. The expression from normal cervix, precancerous and cancer cervix tissue sample was compared by unpaired t-test using SPSS software.

Among 43 subjects of cervical pre-malignancy and malignancy, 60.5% were ≥ 55years, 65.1% had ≥ 3 live issues, 79.1% belonged to low SE status and 90.7% were post-menopausal, of which 41.7% were 6–10 years post-menopausal. All tissue samples were analysed against nine controls for Beclin-1 and LC3 expression which was up-regulated in 30.2% samples for Beclin-1& LC3 each and down-regulated in 32.5% Beclin-1 & 20.9% LC3, which was not statistically significantly. In 37.2% samples for Beclin-1 & 48.9% for LC3 the expression remained unchanged. However combined expression of Beclin-1 & LC3 in samples of pre-malignant lesions (ten) was up-regulated (70%, P=0.003). Beclin-1 & LC3 expression was also significantly up-regulated in patients less than 55 years of age (P=0.001) as against those in age group ≥ 55 years where up and down regulation was almost equal.

Beclin-1 & LC3 gene expression was significantly up regulated in patients < 55 years of age, and in pre-malignant tissue samples, pointing towards an operating autophagy mechanism within the cervical cells that probably protects cells from progressing to overt cervical cancer. However, this was not so in the cancer samples.