title: Detection of tumor specific gene expression in bone marrow and peripheral blood from patients with small cell lung carcinoma.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respirology (B2), Graduate School of Medicine, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan.
authors.forename: Masato
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shingyoji
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takiguchi
authors.forename: Reiko
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Kenzo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hiroshima
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Motoori
authors.forename: Katsushi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kurosu
authors.forename: Yasunori
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kasahara
authors.forename: Nobuhiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tanabe
authors.forename: Koichiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tatsumi
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuriyama
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D010455:Peptides; D011498:Protein Precursors; D018004:Receptors, Bombesin; C047897:gastrin-releasing peptide precursor