Comparative Analysis of Annexin A1 (ANXA1) Protein Expression in Different Cancer Types

Abstract

Annexin A1 (ANXA1) is the first member of the Lipocortin family, a calcium‐dependent phospholipid‐binding protein with potent immunomodulatory activity. ANXA1 is related to cellular proliferation, apoptosis, progression, and metastasis in cancer, and its expression is variable depending on the tumor type. Our research will compare the expression of ANXA1 in various forms of cancer and establish if the protein is up‐or down‐regulated. Methods We analyzed 1904 immunohistochemistry datasets from The Human Protein Atlas (HPA). The samples represent 20 different forms of cancer from 455 patients. The expression of ANXA1 was compared to the same in tissue samples from 137 healthy subjects, which meant the tissues of origins of primary tumors. The levels of ANXA1 expression were quantified using a visual grading method based on staining intensity (I) and cell fraction stained (F). The Q score (combination of stained cell fraction and staining intensity) was obtained by the product of (F)*(I). Results 9 of 20 cancer types showed increased protein expression (up‐regulation) comparison to their healthy counterparts. Eight cancer types showed decreased protein expression (down‐regulation). Three types of cancer showed no significant differences. Conclusion ANXA1 expression may serve as an important diagnostic marker for such a variety of different cancer types.