Open AccessExpression of Amphiregulin, a Novel Gene of the Epidermal Growth Factor Family, in Human Gastric Carcinomas
Author(s) -
Kitadai Yasuhiko,
Yasui Wataru,
Yokozaki Hiroshi,
Kuniyasu Hiroki,
Ayhan Ayse,
Haruma Ken,
Kajiyama Goro,
Johnson Gibbes R.,
Tahara Eiichi
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
japanese journal of cancer research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.035
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1349-7006
pISSN - 0910-5050
DOI - 10.1111/j.1349-7006.1993.tb02061.x
Subject(s) - amphiregulin , epidermal growth factor , biology , pathology , carcinoma , cytoplasm , messenger rna , gene expression , growth factor , cancer research , epithelioma , cell culture , gene , medicine , microbiology and biotechnology , biochemistry , receptor , genetics
The expression of mRNA for amphiregulin (AR), a novel gene of the epidermal growth factor family, was examined in 8 human gastric carcinoma cell lines and 32 gastric carcinoma tissues as well as corresponding normal mucosa. Of the 8 gastric carcinoma cell lines, 7 expressed 1.4 kb AR mRNA at various levels. The expression of AR mRNA by TMK‐1 and MKN‐28 cells was increased by treatment with epidermal growth factor or transforming growth factor α. In surgical cases, all the gastric carcinoma tissues and their adjacent normal mucosa expressed AR mRNA. Interestingly, 20 (62.5%) out of 32 tumors expressed AR mRNA at higher levels than their corresponding normal mucosas (tumor/normal ≥1.2). No obvious correlation was observed between the AR mRNA levels and the histological types or tumor staging of gastric carcinoma. Immunohistochemically, AR protein was localized to the cytoplasm and/or nucleus in tumor cells. These results suggest that AR produced by tumor cells may be involved in the pathogenesis and/or progression of human gastric carcinoma.