Expression of TGF beta1 genes and their receptor types I, II, and III in low- and high-grade malignancy non-Hodgkin's lymphomas.
BACKGROUND
Transforming growth factor beta (TGF ) is involved in a variety of important cellular functions. The lack of TGF -dependent cell-growth control might be related to oncogenesis, as it has been shown in lung, breast, and colon carcinomas. Current observations have revealed that TGF  is rather an inhibiting, not a stimulating, factor as far as malignant tumor development is concerned. Recently, however, there has been a growing number of reports on increased expression of TGF  genes in certain tumors. In patients with a diagnosis of non-small-cell lung carcinoma, the tumors expressing high levels of TGF  were the ones that had a higher proliferation and metastasis capability, whereas more promising were the cases with lower levels of TGF  expression.


METHODS
A pilot study of 14 patients was conducted comprising 8 patients with a low-grade lymphoma and 6 patients with a high-grade lymphoma. The QRT-PCR method was employed to assess the activity of TGF 1 and of its receptor types I, II, and III.


RESULTS
The expression values for TGF 1 and its receptors I, II, and III were twice as high in the group of patients with a diagnosis of high-grade lymphomas as in the group of patients diagnosed with low-grade lymphomas.


CONCLUSIONS
Results showed a clear difference in TGF 1 expression in patients with NHL depending on the subtype of the lymphoma, suggesting its significant role in the pathomechanism of this group of malignant diseases as well as its potential value as a prognostic factor.
Woszczyk
Dariusz
D
Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Silesia in Sosnowiec, Poland.
Gola
Joanna
J
Jurzak
Magdalena
M
Mazurek
Urszula
U
Mykała-Cieśla
Joanna
J
Wilczok
Tadeusz
T
D030201:Activin Receptors, Type I / Q000235:genetics*; D000368:Aged; D001483:Base Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000077293:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I; D000077294:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type II; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1
D017931:DNA Primers; D011509:Proteoglycans; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta; C508960:TGFB1 protein, human; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; C071736:betaglycan; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D030201:Activin Receptors, Type I; D000077293:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type I; D000077294:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type II