Detection of tumor specific gene expression in bone marrow and peripheral blood from patients with small cell lung carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) has the propensity to grow rapidly and metastasize extensively. Detection of micro-dissemination of SCLC may have clinical relevance. For its detection, tumor-specific gene expressions were examined in peripheral blood and bone marrow aspirate from patients with SCLC.


METHODS
Expression of prepro-gastrin-releasing peptide (preproGRP), neuromedin B receptor (NMB-R) and gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRP-R) were examined by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in peripheral blood and bone marrow aspirate from 40 untreated patients with SCLC. Control samples consisted of peripheral blood samples from 5 patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and 20 healthy volunteers.


RESULTS
Positive rates of preproGRP, NMB-R, and GRP-R in bone marrow aspirate of patients with SCLC were 23% (9/40), 8% (3/40), and 10% (4/40), respectively. Those rates in peripheral blood were 11% (4/38), 5% (2/38), and 29% (11/38), respectively. Although GRP-R expression was detected in patients with NSCLC and in healthy volunteers, preproGRP and NMB-R expressions were not detected in patients with NSCLC and in healthy volunteers. All three gene expressions in bone marrow were more frequently observed in patients with bone marrow metastasis, accessed by biopsy, than in patients without. PreproGRP gene expression in bone marrow was also more frequent in patients with bone metastasis, accessed by bone scintigram, than in patients without, and was related to poorer survival.


CONCLUSIONS
Micro-dissemination of SCLC was detectable by RT-PCR of preproGRP and NMB-R, both specific for SCLC. These gene expressions in bone marrow may be related to disease extent and prognosis.
Shingyoji
Masato
M
Department of Respirology (B2), Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
Takiguchi
Yuichi
Y
Watanabe
Reiko
R
Hiroshima
Kenzo
K
Motoori
Ken
K
Kurosu
Katsushi
K
Kasahara
Yasunori
Y
Tanabe
Nobuhiro
N
Tatsumi
Koichiro
K
Kuriyama
Takayuki
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000378:metabolism*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary; D018288:Carcinoma, Small Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D010455:Peptides / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D018004:Receptors, Bombesin / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016019:Survival Analysis
D010455:Peptides; D011498:Protein Precursors; D018004:Receptors, Bombesin; C047897:gastrin-releasing peptide precursor