The expression patterns and correlations of chibby, β-catenin, and DNA methyltransferase-1 and their clinicopathological significance in lung cancers.

Chibby is an inhibitor of the Wnt pathway. The expression and correlation of chibby in lung cancers is unclear. We considered that the expression pattern of chibby might be related to the expression of β-catenin and DNA methyltransferase-1 (DNMT1). We examined the expressions of chibby, β-catenin, and DNMT1 in 85 lung cancer tissues and corresponding normal lung tissues using immunohistochemistry. The nuclear expression rate of chibby was reduced in lung cancers (p < 0.001). Increased expression of DNMT1 was correlated with the differentiation (p = 0.034) and TNM stage (p = 0.048). The cytoplasmic expression of β-catenin was correlated with poor differentiation of lung cancers (p = 0.016). The cytoplasmic and membrane expression of chibby was positively correlated with the cytoplasmic (p = 0.025) and membrane (p = 0.029) expressions of β-catenin. The membrane expression of chibby was negatively correlated with the expression of DNMT1 (p = 0.006). Moreover, the expression of DNMT1 was correlated with the cytoplasmic expression of β-catenin (p < 0.001). The nuclear expression of chibby is reduced in lung cancers. Chibby may colocalize with β-catenin. β-Catenin and DNMT1 may be concurrently expressed and thereby promote the development of lung cancers.