title: Expression of the c-kit protein in human solid tumors and in corresponding fetal and adult normal tissues.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Chemotherapy, Aichi Cancer Center Research Institute, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Matsuda
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sekido
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishida
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seto
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Seito
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sugiura
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ariyoshi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D007106:Immune Sera; C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit