Expression of transforming growth factor beta-1 in gastric cancer and in the gastric mucosa of first-degree relatives of patients with gastric cancer.
Transforming growth factors beta (TGF-beta) constitute a family of polypeptide growth factors that control cell growth, cell differentiation and migration, as well as the formation of the extracellular matrix. Recent analyses revealed the overexpression of TGF-beta1 in human gastric cancers and demonstrated increased cell proliferation in the stomach of patients with gastric cancer and their first-degree relatives. Using human gastric tissues obtained from patients with gastric cancer (n = 19), biopsies from healthy first-degree relatives of gastric cancer patients (n = 18) and healthy individuals (n = 19), we analysed the expression of TGF-beta1 using the reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry. Fifteen of 19 patients with gastric cancer expressed TGF-beta1 in the tumour. In 11 of these 15 cases TGF-beta1 mRNA was also detectable in the non-tumourous stomach. Interestingly, all but two individuals with a first-degree relative diagnosed with gastric cancer exhibited TGF-beta1 expression in either the antrum or corpus biopsy or both. In contrast, only one of 19 individuals without a family history of gastric cancer expressed TGF-beta1 in the stomach (P< 0.0001). TGF-beta1 expression is detectable in a large proportion of gastric cancers and in the stomach of healthy first-degree relatives of gastric cancer patients. Since individuals without gastric cancers in their family express TGF-beta1 only in one of 19 cases, the induction of TGF-beta1 expression in first-degree relatives of patients with gastric cancer points to the presence of specific molecular alterations in a subgroup of individuals with an increased risk of developing gastric cancer that may precede the development of gastric cancers.
Ebert
M P
MP
Department of Gastroenterolgy, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany.
Yu
J
J
Miehlke
S
S
Fei
G
G
Lendeckel
U
U
Ridwelski
K
K
Stolte
M
M
Bayerdörffer
E
E
Malfertheiner
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009679:Nuclear Family; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta