title: Transforming growth factor beta type II receptor expression in gastric cancer: evidence for two independent subgroups.
abstract: Transforming growth factor beta type II receptor (TGFbeta-IIR) has been found to be altered in primary gastrointestinal carcinomas. So far relatively few facts are known about the expression of TGFbeta-IIR in primary gastric cancer. Therefore, in the present study, TGFbeta-IIR expression was analyzed in 130 primary gastric carcinomas and correlated with clinicopathological findings, the presence of a mutator phenotype, the mutational status of the TGFbeta-IIR polyadenine tract and survival. TGFbeta-IIR expression was analyzed immunohistochemically. Microsatellite instability was evaluated using a PCR-based assay and the polyadenine run inside the TGFbeta-IIR gene was sequenced. A complete loss of TGFbeta-IIR expression could be found in 55 (42.3%) of these carcinomas. Loss of TGFbeta-IIR expression was significantly correlated with diffuse-type carcinomas according to the Lauren classification as well as with signet ring cell carcinomas and a lower grade of differentiation. No correlation was found with the overall prognosis, the presence of a mutator phenotype, or a mutated TGFbeta-IIR. Thus, our data suggest the existence of a further definite subgroup of diffuse-type gastric carcinomas with altered TGFbeta-IIR expression, independent from a mutator phenotype with TGFbeta-IIR gene mutations. However, according to our results, in gastric cancer neither loss of TGFbeta-IIR expression nor mutations of the TGFbeta-IIR are of prognostic value.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, Heinrich-Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Shinsuke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takeno
authors.forename: Hans-Christian
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Wirtz
authors.forename: Kristina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lickvers
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Noguchi
authors.forename: Melanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scheven
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Willers
authors.forename: Helmut E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Gabbert
authors.forename: Wolfram
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mueller
mesh_terms: D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D017931:DNA Primers; D005819:Genetic Markers; D006801:Humans; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D000077294:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type II; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D005819:Genetic Markers; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D000077294:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type II