Research Report
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World J Gastroenterol. Apr 21, 2014; 20(15): 4428-4432
Published online Apr 21, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i15.4428
Preliminary study correlating CX3CL1/CX3CR1 expression with gastric carcinoma and gastric carcinoma perineural invasion
Cheng-Yu Lv, Tao Zhou, Wei Chen, Xin-Dao Yin, Jian-Hong Yao, Yi-Fan Zhang
Cheng-Yu Lv, Tao Zhou, Wei Chen, Xin-Dao Yin, Jian-Hong Yao, Yi-Fan Zhang, Department of General Surgery, Nanjing Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210006, Jiangsu Province, China
Author contributions: Lv CY designed the study; Zhang YF and Zhou T performed the majority of experiments; Chen W and Yin XD carried out the data collection and analysis; Yao JH drafted the manuscript; Lv CY revised the manuscript critically for important intellectual content.
Supported by Nanjing Science and Technology Project, No. 201106016
Correspondence to: Cheng-Yu Lv, Professor, Department of General Surgery, Nanjing Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, 68#Changle Road, Nanjing 210006, Jiangsu Province, China. lcy_1234@aliyun.com
Telephone: +86-25-52271070 Fax: +86-25-52271081
Received: September 15, 2013
Revised: January 18, 2014
Accepted: March 5, 2014
Published online: April 21, 2014
Abstract

AIM: To study the relationship between the CX3CL1 chemokine, its receptor CX3CR1, and gastric carcinoma/gastric carcinoma perineural invasion (PNI).

METHODS: Thirty cases of gastric carcinoma were surgically resected (radical resection or palliative resection) between February 2012 and July 2012. Tumour and tumour-adjacent tissues were evaluated for the presence of CX3CL1 (ELISA) and CX3CR1 (immunohistochemistry and Western blotting) in an effort to analyse the relationship between CX3CL1/CX3CR1 and gastric carcinoma/gastric carcinoma PNI.

RESULTS: Of these 30 cases, 14 were PNI-positive (46.7%). No significant differences in CX3CL and CX3CR1 expression in tumour-adjacent tissues were found between the PNI positive and negative groups. Expression levels of CX3CL and CX3CR1 in tumour tissues were significantly higher than those in adjacent tissues (P < 0.01), and were significantly higher in tumour tissues from the PNI-positive group compared to the PNI-negative group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION: CX3CL1/CX3CR1 expression may be associated with the occurrence and development of gastric carcinoma as well as gastric carcinoma PNI.

Keywords: Gastric carcinoma, Perineural invasion, CX3CL1, CX3CR1

Core tip: This preliminary study determined the relationship between the CX3CL1/CX3CR1 system and gastric carcinoma/gastric carcinoma perineural invasion (PNI). The results revealed that the CX3CL1/CX3CR1 system may be associated with the occurrence and development of gastric carcinoma, and had an obvious relationship with gastric carcinoma PNI.