[Aberrant expression of MUC2 and MUC3 genes in gastric carcinoma and its significance].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the clinicopathological significance of the expression of MUC2 (mucin 2) and MUC3 (mucin 3) genes in tissues of the normal gastric mucosa, intestinal metaplasia (IM) and gastric carcinoma.


METHODS
MUC2 and MUC3 apomucins were detected by immunohistochemistry; MUC2 and MUC3 mRNAs were detected by in situ hybridization.


RESULTS
In the normal stomach, antibody detecting MUC2 apomucin and oligonucleotide probe detecting MUC2 mRNA were not reactive with mucus-producing cells in the superficial epithelium and neck, which were weakly reactive with antibody and probe detecting MUC3. In the duodenum, MUC2 apomucin and mRNA were found at the peri- and supranuclear area of goblet cells, but MUC3 apomucin and mRNA were at the cytoplasm of goblet cells and columnar cells. MUC2 and MUC3 apomucins and its mRNAs were found in 85.2%, 88.9% and 31.6%; 57.1% of specimens of IM, 67.4%, 66.7% and 57.9%, 43.6% of specimens of gastric carcinoma. There were no associations between expressions of MUC2 and MUC3 genes and different types of IM. Patients with moderate/well differentiation had higher proportion of MUC2 apomucin expression than those with poor differentiation (P < 0.05), and patients with positive staining of MUC3 apomucin in the cancerous tissues had higher proportions of metastasis of lymph nodes (P < 0.01), serosal invasion (P < 0.05) and clinical stages III-IV (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
MUC2 and MUC3 genes are mainly expressed in the mucosa of the duodenum, and marked expression is seen during the neoplastic transformation of stomach mucosa. MUC3 apomucin might have a poor prognostic significance.
Wang
R
R
Department of Gastroenterology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
Fang
D
D
Liu
W
W
Luo
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D008679:Metaplasia; D008875:Middle Aged; D055262:Mucin-2; D055263:Mucin-3; D009077:Mucins / Q000235:genetics*; D011230:Precancerous Conditions / Q000235:genetics; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*
C524625:MUC2 protein, human; D055262:Mucin-2; D055263:Mucin-3; D009077:Mucins