Differences in the expression of glutathione S-transferases in normal pancreas, chronic pancreatitis, secondary chronic pancreatitis, and pancreatic cancer.
BACKGROUND
In our previous study, glutathione S-transferase-pi (GST-pi), a phase II drug metabolizing enzyme, was found to be expressed in pancreatic ductal and ductular cells but not acinar cells of the normal pancreas, chronic pancreatitis, and secondary pancreatitis caused by pancreatic cancer. A greater percentage of the cells expressing GST-pi was shown in the islets of chronic pancreatitis specimens compared with the normal pancreas and secondary pancreatitis.


OBJECTIVE
To examine whether the increased number of islet cells expressing GST-pi and the absence in the acinar cells are compensated for by other GST isozymes, we investigated the expression of GST-alpha and GST-mu in the same specimens.


RESULTS
Unlike the distribution of GST-pi, the distribution of GST-alpha and GST-mu in islets did not show marked differences between the three groups. However, in four of 18 primary chronic pancreatitis specimens, more islet cells (approximately 25%) expressed GST-alpha than in the normal pancreas and secondary chronic pancreatitis (both approximately 10%). The reactivity of cancer cells to GST-alpha, GST-mu, and GST-pi was similar to the ductal cells in the normal pancreas, chronic pancreatitis, and secondary chronic pancreatitis. Contrary to the expression of GST-pi, no statistically significant differences were found in the distribution of GST-alpha and GST-mu in the normal pancreas, chronic pancreatitis, and secondary chronic pancreatitis.


CONCLUSIONS
The expression of the other GSTs does not compensate for the variation of expression of GST-pi. There was no specimen in each group that did not express at least one GST isozyme in islet, acinar, and ductal cells.
Ulrich
Alexis B
AB
Eppley Cancer Center and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-6805, USA.
Schmied
Bruno M
BM
Standop
Jens
J
Schneider
Matthias B
MB
Lawson
Terence A
TA
Friess
Helmut
H
Andrén-Sandberg
Ake
A
Büchler
Markus W
MW
Pour
Parviz M
PM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007223:Infant; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology
D007527:Isoenzymes; D005982:Glutathione Transferase