Expression of nm23 H-1 RNA levels in human gastric cancer tissues. A negative correlation with nodal metastasis.
BACKGROUND
Gene expression of nm23 has been investigated in number of tumors, including breast cancer, colon cancer, malignant melanoma, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Its down-regulation has been shown to be associated with metastasis or disease progression in some of the tumors.


METHODS
nm23 H-1 mRNA levels were investigated in 31 surgically resected specimens of gastric cancer by Northern blot analysis, and association with clinical stages was determined.


RESULTS
There was no significant difference in nm23 expression between tumor and matching normal mucosa. There was a significant down-regulation of the nm23 gene in gastric cancer with serosal invasion (T3 and T4 by the TNM classification) and nodal metastasis (pN1 and pN2), although the association of the down-regulation with clinically manifest hepatic or peritoneal metastasis was not significant. The tumors with low nm23 expression were associated with a poor prognosis.


CONCLUSIONS
It was suggested that the down-regulation of nm23 gene might have a role in metastasis and invasion in gastric cancer, possibly leading to a poor prognosis.
Kodera
Y
Y
Department of Surgery II, Nagoya University School of Medicine, Japan.
Isobe
K
K
Yamauchi
M
M
Kondoh
K
K
Kimura
N
N
Akiyama
S
S
Itoh
K
K
Nakashima
I
I
Takagi
H
H
D002460:Cell Line; D015536:Down-Regulation; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000556:secondary; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D020559:Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins; D054778:NM23 Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinases; D009701:Nucleoside-Diphosphate Kinase / Q000235:genetics*; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*
D054778:NM23 Nucleoside Diphosphate Kinases; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; C517938:NME1 protein, human; D009701:Nucleoside-Diphosphate Kinase; D020559:Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins