Smoking-related increase of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase expression in human lung carcinomas.
Eighty-three non-small cell lung carcinomas (NSCLC) of previously untreated patients were analysed for expression of O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) by means of immunohistochemistry. Expression of MGMT was detected in 62 of 83 tumours (75%). There was a significant difference in MGMT staining between smokers and non-smokers (P = 0.001). Tumours of smokers expressed more frequently MGMT than tumours of non-smokers. There was a trend of MGMT expression to be higher in tumours of patients smoking >20 cigarettes/day than patients smoking <20 cigarettes/day. Abstinence from smoking resulted in a significant decrease in MGMT expression (lin reg r = -0.59, P < 0.05). These results demonstrate that MGMT expression in human lung carcinomas is influenced by smoking habits of the patients.
Department of Oncological Diagnostics and Therapy, German Cancer Research Centre, Heidelberg. j.mattern@dkfz-heidelberg.de
J
J
Mattern
R
R
Koomägi
M
M
Volm
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000906:Antibodies; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000201:enzymology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019853:O(6)-Methylguanine-DNA Methyltransferase / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D012907:Smoking / Q000378:metabolism*; D016540:Smoking Cessation; D013997:Time Factors
D000906:Antibodies; D019853:O(6)-Methylguanine-DNA Methyltransferase