title: Expression of cholecystokinin-B/gastrin receptors in medullary thyroid cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To characterise the cholecystokinin (CCK) receptor subtypes in medullary thyroid cancer by measuring the expression of CCK-A and CCK-B/gastrin receptor mRNA.
  
  
  METHODS
  Open study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Teaching hospital, Sweden.
  
  
  METHODS
  6 patients with medullary thyroid cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pentagastrin stimulation test and measurement of calcitonin concentration. Biopsy specimens were analysed using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
  
  
  METHODS
  Presence of CCK-A and CCK-B/gastrin receptors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 6 patients with medullary thyroid cancer had positive pentagastrin tests preoperatively. CCK-B/gastrin receptors but not CCK-A receptors were detected by RT-PCR in all six biopsy specimens. By contrast, no CCK receptors were found in normal thyroid tissues or in other thyroid tumours (follicular adenoma, papillary carcinoma, or anaplastic carcinoma).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The presence of CCK-B/gastrin receptors in medullary thyroid tumours may have important clinical implications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amiri-Mosavi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ahlman
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Tisell
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wängberg
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kölby
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Forssell-Aronsson
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Lundberg
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lindstedt
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nilsson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001483:Base Sequence; D001706:Biopsy; D018276:Carcinoma, Medullary / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D017931:DNA Primers; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D011949:Receptors, Cholecystokinin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000473:pathology; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011949:Receptors, Cholecystokinin