Expression of the c-kit protein in human solid tumors and in corresponding fetal and adult normal tissues.
The proto-oncogene c-kit encodes a transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptor that is thought to play an important role in hematopoiesis, spermatogenesis, and melanogenesis. We previously showed that the c-kit messenger RNA is preferentially expressed in small cell lung cancer and that its ligand, stem cell factor, is expressed in a broad spectrum of human cancers. Using anti-c-kit antisera raised against synthetic peptides, in situ localization of the c-kit protein in various human solid tumors as well as in corresponding fetal and adult normal tissues was studied by the ABC method. The results suggest that the c-kit gene products may be involved in the pathogenesis of a very restricted subset of human solid tumors such as small cell lung cancer. Interestingly, nuclear protein immunologically related to c-kit was found in both normal and neoplastic medullary cells of the adrenal gland.
Matsuda
R
R
Laboratory of Chemotherapy, Aichi Cancer Center Research Institute, Nagoya, Japan.
Takahashi
T
T
Nakamura
S
S
Sekido
Y
Y
Nishida
K
K
Seto
M
M
Seito
T
T
Sugiura
T
T
Ariyoshi
Y
Y
Takahashi
T
T
D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000737:chemistry / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D000918:Antibody Specificity; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D005333:Fetus; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000737:chemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D010673:Pheochromocytoma / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit
D007106:Immune Sera; C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit