Analysis of the Expression of Cathepsin S in Gastric Adenocarcinoma and in Helicobacter Pylori Infection

Abstract

\n Background: recent experimental studies have shown a potential link between cathepsin S (CTTS) and gastric cancer progression. Herein, we aimed to evaluate the expression of CTTS in gastric adenocarcinoma.Methods: Cross-sectional study that included two groups, gastric adenocarcinoma (n=42) and gastritis (n=50). The gastritis group was then subdivided into H. pylori positive (n=25) x negative (n=25). Gastric tissue samples were analyzed in order to determine the CTTS expression through immunohistochemistry. Results: In patients with gastritis, the age ranged from 18 to 78 years. Among them, 34% were male, and 66% were female. In patients with gastric cancer, the age ranged from 37 to 85 years. Among them, 50% were male, and 50% were female. When comparing the expression of CTTS between the two groups, only 16% of the gastritis samples had an expression higher than 25%. On the other hand, among patients with gastric adenocarcinoma, 19% had expression between 25-50%, 14.3% between 51-75%, and 26.2% had expressions higher than 75% (p < 0.001). CTTS expression was significantly higher in patients with positive test for H. pylori: 87.5% x 38.5% (p<0.001). There was no statistically significant association between the positivity of CTTS and the clinical-pathological variables, including tumor staging, histological type, angiolymphatic invasion, recurrence, current status and death.Conclusion: CTTS has a higher expression in samples of gastric adenocarcinoma. Patients with gastritis by H. pylori also show a higher expression of CTTS compared with patients with negative results for this bacterium.