RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Expression of GATA-6 transcription factor in pleural malignant mesothelioma and metastatic pulmonary adenocarcinoma JF Journal of Clinical Pathology JO J Clin Pathol FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Association of Clinical Pathologists SP 339 OP 344 DO 10.1136/jcp.2008.060533 VO 62 IS 4 A1 Lindholm, P M A1 Soini, Y A1 Myllärniemi, M A1 Knuutila, S A1 Heikinheimo, M A1 Kinnula, V L A1 Salmenkivi, K YR 2009 UL http://jcp.bmj.com/content/62/4/339.abstract AB Background: Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is a highly aggressive tumour with poor prognosis and limited response to therapy. New markers for the prediction of prognosis in MM and in pulmonary adenocarcinoma of the pleura are valuable. GATA-6 belongs to a six member zinc finger transcription factor family named after their recognition motif W-GATA-R.Aim: To clarify the distribution and possible function of GATA-6 transcription factor in MM and in pleural metastasis of lung adenocarcinomas.Methods: 63 pleural MM and 36 pleural metastatic pulmonary adenocarcinomas were studied for GATA-6 expression by immunohistochemistry using tissue microarrays. Expression of GATA-6 was examined in relation to thyroid transcription factor-1 expression, survival, proliferation and apoptosis.Results: Nuclear immunoreactivity for GATA-6 was stronger and more frequent in MM than in metastatic pleural adenocarcinoma. Prognosis was better in patients with GATA-6 expression when compared to those with no GATA-6 expression (p = 0.002); in the subgroup analysis the difference was significant in epithelial and sarcomatous mesothelioma. GATA-6 was not associated with spontaneous proliferation or apoptosis of the tumour cells in situ.Conclusion: Results suggest that GATA-6 plays a role in pleural malignancies, predicting longer survival in subgroups of MM.