title: Frequency of loss expression of the DPC4 protein in various locations of biliary tract carcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To clarify the relationship between the loss of expression of the deleted in pancreatic carcinoma locus 4 (DPC4) proteins and the pathogenesis of biliary tract carcinoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  71 primary biliary tract carcinoma (BTCa), including 38 common bile duct (CBD) carcinomas, 18 gallbladder carcinomas, 15 hilar bile ducts (HBD) carcinomas were examined by immunohistochemical staining. In addition, the CBD carcinomas were divided into two groups: tumors with metastasis (M(+) group, 27 cases) and tumors without metastasis (M(-) group, 11 cases).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The frequency of loss of the expression of DPC4 protein was 32.8% in BTCa, 47.3% in CBD carcinoma, 11% in gallbladder carcinoma, 13% in HBD carcinoma. Comparison of the frequency of loss expression of DPC4 was significant statistical difference in CBD carcinoma versus gallbladder carcinoma and HBD carcinoma (P < 0.01). The frequency of loss expression of DPC4 was 48.1% in the M(+) group and 45.4% in the M(-) group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There are a close relationship between pathogenesis of BTCa and inactivation of DPC4 and different frequencies of DPC4 gene alternation in various locations of the biliary tract, which are not significantly increased with tumor metastasis in BTCa.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Wuhan 430030, China (Email: tangzh45@sina.com)
authors.forename: Zhaohui
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Shengquan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Youhua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.forename: Baoju
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Xiangping
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Fazu
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Qiu
mesh_terms: D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms; D001659:Biliary Tract; D002277:Carcinoma; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms; D051901:Smad4 Protein; D015534:Trans-Activators
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D051901:Smad4 Protein; D015534:Trans-Activators