To determine the expression of disabled homolog 2 interacting protein (DAB2IP) gene in the basal cell carcinoma (BCC) of the skin, and to investigate its clinical significance.

Clinical data were retrospectively analyzed in 105 outpatients and inpatients who received skin mass resection in Department of Dermatology, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital and Guangzhou Institute of Dermatology between January 2012 and November 2017. Totally, 79 patients with pathologically diagnosed BCC of the skin served as patient group, and 26 patients with pathologically diagnosed skin tag but without other clinical manifestations served as control group. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to determine the expression of DAB2IP in the two groups, and correlations of the DAB2IP expression with the clinical phenotype and pathological features of BCC of the skin were analyzed. Statistical analysis was carried out with SPSS21.0 software by using chi-square test for the comparison of enumeration data.

The protein expression of DAB2IP was observed in 11 (42.3%) of 26 patients in the control group, as well as in 74 (93.7%) of 79 patients in the patient group, and there was a significant difference in the positive rate of DAB2IP protein between the two groups (χ² = 33.50, P < 0.05) . The expression of DAB2IP was uncorrelated with gender or age of patients with BCC of the skin, or with the tumor size (all P > 0.05) . The positive rate of DAB2IP protein significantly differed between the patients with superficial BCC (5/7) and those with invasive BCC (95.8%, 69/72; χ² = 6.47, P < 0.05) . Of the 79 patients with BCC of the skin, Ki-67 protein was detected in 31 (39.2%) , and the cancer cells expressing Ki-67 protein also expressed DAB2IP protein.

The expression of DAB2IP increases in BCC of the skin, which may be associated with the occurrence and infiltration of BCC of the skin.

Neoplasms, basal cell; Ki-67 antigen; Disabled homolog 2 interacting protein