Significant correlation of peptidyl-prolyl isomerase overexpression in Merkel cell carcinoma with overall survival of patients.

Abstract

An overexpression of PIN1, the peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase, might cause cell cycle arrest and growth inhibition by binding to the p53 protein, a process leading to p53 stabilization. The rationale of this retrospective analysis was to evaluate the expression pattern of PIN1 in Merkel cell carcinomas (MCCs) and its suitability as a prognostic factor. Samples of 27 MCCs were immunhistochemically stained for PIN1 expression and correlated with overall and disease-free survival of patients. All samples expressed PIN1. We showed a significantly better overall survival in patients with an overexpression of PIN1 than in patients with a weak PIN1 expression (p = .031), but expression was not significant for disease-free survival (p = .821). The 5-year overall survival rate was 14.4% in patients with weak and 50.9% in patients with overexpression of PIN1. PIN1 seems to be a prognostic factor for a better overall survival rate of patients with MCC.