Evidence-Based Medicine
Copyright ©2014 Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Nov 28, 2014; 20(44): 16702-16706
Published online Nov 28, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i44.16702
Decreased expression of gastrokine 1 in gastric mucosa of gastric cancer patients
Xiao-Yan Guo, Lei Dong, Bin Qin, Jiong Jiang, A-Meng Shi
Xiao-Yan Guo, Lei Dong, Bin Qin, Jiong Jiang, A-Meng Shi, Department of Gastroenterology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710003, Shaanxi Province, China
Author contributions: Guo XY and Qin B performed the majority of experiments; Guo XY wrote the manuscript; Dong L designed the study; Jiang J and Shi AM collected all the human tissues.
Correspondence to: Xiao-Yan Guo, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, No. 157 Xiwu Road, Xi’an 710003, Shaanxi Province, China. gxiaoyan_2000@163.com
Telephone: +86-29-87679660 Fax: +86-29-87679660
Received: April 7, 2014
Revised: August 3, 2014
Accepted: September 18, 2014
Published online: November 28, 2014
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the expression of gastrokine 1 (GKN1) in normal gastric mucosa, precancerous lesions and gastric cancer tissues, and to analyse its correlations with tumour site and pathological pattern.

METHODS: Thirty gastric cancer patients (12 cases of diffuse type and 18 cases of intestinal type), 13 atrophic gastritis patients and 15 healthy volunteers with almost normal gastric mucosa (superficial gastritis) were enrolled in this study. Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection was examined in all subjects. All gastric mucosa biopsy specimens were obtained. Cancer-adjacent specimens were taken from corresponding gastric cancer patients. Immunohistochemistry and real-time PCR were performed to determine the expressions of the GKN1 protein and mRNA, respectively.

RESULTS: H. pylori infection had no significant association with age, gender, tumour site or pathological pattern in all subjects. Compared with the superficial gastritis and atrophic gastritis groups, the expression of GKN1 protein (P = 0.011) and mRNA (P < 0.001) in gastric cancer was significantly decreased. The GKN1 mRNA level in diffuse type gastric cancer was significantly lower than in intestinal type gastric cancer (0.296 ± 0.076 vs 0.525 ± 0.164, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION: Compared with almost normal gastric mucosa, GKN1 expression in the gastric mucosa of gastric cancer patients is decreased; this is associated with progression and prognosis of gastric cancer.

Keywords: Gastrokine 1, Gastric cancer, Gastric mucosa, Expression

Core tip: The current study evaluated the expression of gastrokine 1 (GKN1) in normal gastric mucosa, gastric cancer tissues and gastric lesions. We found that GKN1 expression was decreased in gastric cancer tissues. Furthermore, low expression of GKN1 was particularly associated with diffuse types of gastric cancer patients. The role of GKN1 in gastric carcinogenesis requires further investigation.