Relationship between CD147 and expression of amino acid transporters (LAT1 and ASCT2) in patients with pancreatic cancer

CD147 functions as an induction of matrix metalloproteinases and tumor angiogenesis, and is highly expressed in various malignant neoplasms. Recently, CD147 is shown to form a complex with amino acid transporters such as L-type amino acid transporter (LAT1), system ASC amino acid transporter-2 (ASCT2) and 4F2hc as a heavy chain of LAT1. It remains unknown about the existence of these complexes in patients with pancreatic cancer. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between CD147 and these amino acid transporters. Ninety-seven patients with pancreatic cancer were evaluated. Tumor sections were stained by immunohistochemistry for LAT1, ASCT2, Ki-67, microvessel density (MVD) determined by CD34, p-AKT, and p-mTOR. CD147 was highly expressed in 23% (22/97) of patients. A high expression of CD147 is significantly associated with N factor, LAT1, ASCT2, Ki-67, VEGF and p-mTOR. A high CD147 expression was identified as a significant prognostic predictor by univariate survival analysis. The coexpression of CD147 and LAT1, and that of CD147 and 4F2hc yielded a significantly worse prognosis than the single expression of LAT1, and that of 4F2hc, respectively. CD147 revealed a significant relationship with the expression level of LAT1 and ASCT2, correlated with tumor proliferation, angiogenesis and mTOR signaling.