Clinicopathological analysis and prognostic significance of NF-κB p65 and IKKβ protein and mRNA expression in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Objective To investigate the clinicopathological significance of NF-κB p65 and IKKβ protein and mRNA expression in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients from Guangdong Province, China. Methods Data and tissues from patients with NPC were retrospectively studied. Immunohistochemical staining and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction were used to evaluate and compare NF-κB p65 and IKKβ protein and mRNA levels, respectively, in 60 NPC and 30 nasopharyngitis tissue samples. Statistical analysis was conducted to determine correlations between NF-κB p65 and IKKβ protein and mRNA levels with clinicopathological characteristics and prognoses of NPC patients. Results NF-κB p65 and IKKβ protein and mRNA expression in NPC were significantly correlated with tumor size, lymph node metastasis, and TNM stage. NF-κB p65 and IKKβ protein and mRNA levels were significantly increased in NPC patients with deep tumor invasion (T3–4), lymph node metastasis, and stage III/IV disease; high NF-κB p65 and IKKβ mRNA expression were associated with significantly shorter disease-free survival rates compared with cases showing low NF-κB p65 and IKKβ mRNA expression. Conclusions NF-κB p65 and IKKβ may affect the prognosis of NPC patients and could be potential therapeutic targets for this disease.