Overexpression of early growth response-1 as a metastasis-regulatory factor in gastric cancer.
BACKGROUND
To investigate the potential role of a nuclear transcription factor, early growth response-1 (Egr-1), in formation and progression of gastric cancer, we compared its expression in gastric cancers with that in non-cancerous tissues.


METHODS
Egr-1 mRNA expression was measured using TaqMan RT-PCR. The corresponding protein expression was examined immunohistochemically.


RESULTS
Egr-1 mRNA expression was significantly higher in gastric cancer tissues than in normal mucosa (p < 0.0005). These differences were also reflected by protein product expression. Moreover, Egr-1 mRNA expression was higher in cases with metastasis to lymph nodes or remote organs. In cultured gastric cancer cells known to have a high metastatic potential, expression of this mRNA was higher than that of parental cells.


CONCLUSIONS
It was suggested that Egr-1 has a significant role in carcinogenesis and in cancer progression, especially metastasis. Measurement of this mRNA should be useful for evaluation of the metastatic potential of gastric cancer.
Kobayashi
Daisuke
D
Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Division of Laboratory Diagnosis, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, South-1, West-16, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8543, Japan.
Yamada
Mikako
M
Kamagata
Chinatsu
C
Kaneko
Reiko
R
Tsuji
Naoki
N
Nakamura
Masashi
M
Yagihashi
Atsuhito
A
Watanabe
Naoki
N
D001940:Breast / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D018450:Disease Progression; D051766:Early Growth Response Protein 1; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C497325:EGR1 protein, human; D051766:Early Growth Response Protein 1; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors