Comparative Quantitative Assessment of TUBB3 Expression Parameters in non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Tissue at Different Stages of the Disease

Background . The importance of expanding the list of prognostic characteristics for stage 1 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which is characterized by the most favorable prognosis but poses a number of important tactical tasks for postoperative patient management, has been discussed in numerous studies. The aim of the study was to determine the pathogenetic and clinical significance of TUBB3 expression as a molecular marker of NSCLC aggressiveness at stage 1. Material and methods . A comparative analysis of TUBB3 expression in surgical samples of NSCLC (n = 64) at stages 1 and 3 was performed using flow cytometry-associated immunofluorescence. Primary monoclonal antibodies to TUBB3 (EP1569Y) and secondary antibodies conjugated with DyLight650 dye were used. Fluorescence was measured on a Navios flow cytometer. The number of stained cells was determined using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test in FlowJo 10.0.8 software. Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism 6.0. Results. TUBB3 expression in stage 1 NSCLC tumors was shown to be higher than the median values for level (P = 0.000), intensity (P = 0.001), and integral index (P = 0.003) compared to stage 3 disease. For the integral index of the marker expression, the difference was nearly twofold. Conclusion . The detection of high expression of TUBB3 in NSCLC tissue at stage 1 of the disease should be considered among the prognostically unfavorable clinical and morphological characteristics of the tumor as an additional guideline for choosing optimal postoperative patient management.