Minimal expression of the proto-oncogene int-2 encoded protein in a series of colorectal carcinomas.
BACKGROUND
Int-2 (fibroblast growth factor-3) is a gene that belongs to the fibroblast growth factor gene family. It has been implicated in the carcinogenesis of several types of cancer, including esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, breast, head, and neck and lung carcinomas; but no firm data on its biological activity regarding neoplasms arising from the glandular epithelia of the gastrointestinal tract exists.


METHODS
In the present immunohistochemical study, we investigated the presence of int-2 encoded protein in a panel of 80 cases of colon carcinoma of various stages, grades and sizes. A sheep antihuman int-2 antibody was applied to paraffin-embedded tissue sections from the tumor samples. The percentage of int-2 immunostaining in the positively stained specimens was evaluated by image analysis.


RESULTS
Int-2 was positively detected in only four tumors (i.e. 5% of the cases examined). All immunopositive cases were moderately differentiated tumors; the adjacent mucosa did not express int-2 protein. The relevant patients were male.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that the role of int-2 in colorectal carcinogenesis is probably a limited one.
Department of Pathology, The Athens National University Medical Faculty, Athens, Greece.
Ioannis S
IS
Papanikolaou
Andreas C
AC
Lazaris
Nikolaos
N
Kavantzas
Panayiotis S
PS
Davaris
D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000737:chemistry*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D051518:Fibroblast Growth Factor 3; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000032:analysis*
C496444:FGF3 protein, human; D051518:Fibroblast Growth Factor 3; C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors