Open AccessExpression of the Multidrug Resistance Gene ( MDR1 ) in Non‐small Cell Lung Cancer
Author(s) -
Abe Yoshiyuki,
Nakamura Masato,
Ota Eiichiro,
Ozeki Yuichi,
Tamai Seiichi,
Inoue Hiroshi,
Ueyama Yoshito,
Ogata Toshiro,
Tamaoki Norikazu
Publication year - 1994
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.1349-7006.1994.tb02392.x
Subject(s) - lung cancer , pathology , adenosquamous carcinoma , multiple drug resistance , biology , carcinoma , adenocarcinoma , p glycoprotein , lung , gene expression , histopathology , cancer , epidermoid carcinoma , cancer research , gene , drug resistance , medicine , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics
To examine the clinical relevance of P‐glycoprotein, encoded by the human multidrug resistance gene ( MDR1 ), to multidrug resistance in lung cancer, we examined the expression of MDR1 in 107 non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) specimens and 20 corresponding specimens of normal lung tissues. We also evaluated the relationship between MDR1 expression and the histopathology and pathological staging of NSCLC. The tumors consisted of 60 adenocarcinomas, 38 squamous cell carcinomas, 8 large cell carcinomas, and 1 adenosquamous carcinoma. MDR1 expression was semi‐quantified by use of the reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction method. We subclassified the NSCLC into 3 grades according to the MDR1 expression level (‐, +, ++). Sixty‐one of the 107 tumor specimens (57%) and 18 of the normal lung tissue specimens (90%) expressed various levels of the MDR1 gene. Only one tumor specimen showed higher MDR1 expression than the corresponding normal lung tissue. The relationship between pathological stage and MDR1 expression levels was not significant. These results suggest that the level of MDR1 expression in lung cells is decreased as cells progress from the normal to the transformed state.