Gastric Cancer
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2003. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jan 15, 2003; 9(1): 35-39
Published online Jan 15, 2003. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v9.i1.35
PTEN encoding product: A marker for tumorigenesis and progression of gastric carcinoma
Lin Yang, Li-Ge Kuang, Hua-Chuan Zheng, Jin-Yi Li, Dong-Ying Wu, Su-Min Zhang, Yan Xin, Ying Chen, Shen Yang
Lin Yang, Li-Ge Kuang, Hua-Chuan Zheng, Jin-Yi Li, Dong-Ying Wu, Su-Min Zhang, Yan Xin, No.4 Lab, Cancer Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, Liaoning Province, China
Ying Chen, Shen Yang, Gynecology & Obstetrics Hospital, Shenyang 110014, Liaoning Province, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China No.30070845, “Outstanding Research Training Program”, Ministry of Education No. [1999] 2, and Science Foundation of Liaoning Education Bureau No. 20121031
Correspondence to: Prof. Yan Xin, No.4 Lab, Cancer Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, Shen yang 110001, Liaoning Province, China. yxin@mail.cmu.edu.cn
Telephone: +86-24-23256666-6351
Received: April 13, 2002
Revised: April 29, 2002
Accepted: June 1, 2002
Published online: January 15, 2003
Abstract

AIM: To detect the expression of PTEN encoding product in normal mucosa, intestinal metaplasia (IM), dysplasia and carcinoma of the stomach, and to investigate its clinical implication in tumorigenesis and progression of gastric carcinoma.

METHODS: Formalin-fixed paraffin embedded specimens from 184 cases of gastric carcinoma, their adjacent normal mucosa, IM and dysplasia were evaluated for PTEN protein expression by SABC immunohistochemistry. PTEN expression was compared with tumor stage, lymph node metastasis, Lauren’s and WHO’s histological classification of gastric carcinoma. Expression of VEGF was also detected in 60 cases of gastric carcinoma and its correlation with PTEN was concerned.

RESULTS: The positive rates of PTEN protein were 100% (102/102), 98.5% (65/66), 66.7% (4/6) and 47.8% (88/184) in normal mucosa, IM, dysplasia and carcinoma of the stomach, respectively. The positive rates in dysplasia and carcinoma were lower than in normal mucosa and IM (P < 0.01). Advanced gastric cancers expressed less frequent PTEN than early gastric cancer (42.9% vs 67.6%, P < 0.01). The positive rate of PTEN protein was lower in gastric cancer with than without lymph node metastasis (40.3% vs 63.3%, P < 0.01). PTEN was less expressed in diffuse-type than in intestinal-type gastric cancer (41.5% vs 57.8%, P < 0.05). Signet ring cell carcinoma showed the expression of PTEN at the lowest level (25.0%, 7/28); less than well and moderately differentiated ones (P < 0.01). Expression of PTEN was not correlated with expression of VEGF (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Loss or reduced expression of PTEN protein occures commonly in tumorigenesis and progression of gastric carcinoma. It is suggested that PTEN can be an objective marker for pathologically biological behaviors of gastric carcinoma.

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