Parathyroid hormone-related protein in gastric cancers with heterotopic ossification.
BACKGROUND
Parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) has been regarded as one of the substances causing humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy.


METHODS
The immunohistochemical localization of PTHrP was investigated in 33 cases of gastric cancer (4 with heterotopic ossification and 29 without heterotopic ossification) to clarify the role of PTHrP in heterotopic ossification by using the anti-PTHrP monoclonal antibody, 4B3.


RESULTS
The four cases with heterotopic ossification showed positive staining at primary or metastatic sites, and in one case fibroblasts in the stroma surrounding the heterotopic ossifying foci also showed positive. On the other hand, of the 29 cases without heterotopic ossification, only 5 showed positive staining.


CONCLUSIONS
The presence of PTHrP in ossifying gastric carcinomas at a relatively high rate indicates that PTHrP also might be related to heterotopic ossification associated with malignancies. It is speculated that PTHrP would contribute to heterotopic ossification by facilitating the process of mineralization.
Yamamura-Idei
Y
Y
Second Department of Pathology, Kobe University School of Medicine, Japan.
Kitazawa
S
S
Kitazawa
R
R
Fujimori
T
T
Chiba
T
T
Maeda
S
S
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism*; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D009999:Ossification, Heterotopic; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D044162:Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*
D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; C470121:PTHLH protein, human; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D044162:Parathyroid Hormone-Related Protein; D011506:Proteins