Decreased expression of messenger RNAs encoding endothelin receptors and neutral endopeptidase 24.11 in endometrial cancer.
In this study, we used reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to compare the expression of mRNAs encoding endothelin-1 (ET-1), endothelin receptors type A (ETA-R) and type B (ETB-R) and ET-1-degrading enzyme neutral endopeptidase 24.11 (NEP) in 15 endometrial cancer tissues and 13 normal endometrial tissues. The relative levels of ET-1 mRNA in endometrial cancer tissues did not differ from those in normal endometrium. Both ETA-R and ETB-R mRNA levels were significantly lower in endometrial cancer tissue than in normal endometrium (P < 0.001). The complete lack of NEP mRNA in endometrial cancer tissues was in marked contrast to results from normal endometrium (P < 0.001). In conclusion, differential expression of mRNAs encoding ET-R and NEP in normal endometrium and endometrial cancer suggests that ET action is altered in endometrial cancer compared with normal endometrium.
Pekonen
F
F
Minerva Institute for Medical Research, Helsinki.
Nyman
T
T
Ammälä
M
M
Rutanen
E M
EM
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001483:Base Sequence; D016889:Endometrial Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D016232:Endothelins / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015260:Neprilysin / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D017466:Receptors, Endothelin / Q000235:genetics*
D016232:Endothelins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017466:Receptors, Endothelin; D015260:Neprilysin