Expression of PRL-3 phosphatase in human gastric carcinomas: close correlation with invasion and metastasis.
OBJECTIVE
High expression of PRL-3, a protein tyrosine phosphatase, has been reported to be associated with metastasis of colorectal carcinoma. The aim of this study is to investigate the significance of PRL-3 expression in tumor progression and metastasis of gastric carcinoma.


METHODS
The levels of PRL-3 mRNA expression in 8 gastric cancer cell lines were examined by RT-PCR. Ninety-four human gastric carcinomas and 54 matched lymph node metastases were employed in this study. The expression of PRL-3 was detected by immunohistochemistry and the relationship with clinicopathological parameters was analyzed.


RESULTS
The expression of PRL-3 mRNA was clearly detected in 7 of 8 gastric cancer cell lines (87.5%) by RT-PCR. In tumor samples, PRL-3 expression was detected in 68% of primary gastric carcinoma (with nodal metastasis 81.5%, without nodal metastasis 50%; p = 0.004). The incidence of PRL-3 expression in lymph node metastasis was significantly higher than that in primary gastric cancers (p < 0.001). Moreover, PRL-3 expression was closely associated with lymphatic invasion (p = 0.002), extent of lymph node metastasis (p = 0.002) and tumor stage (p = 0.045).


CONCLUSIONS
These results strongly suggest that PRL-3 expression may play a significant role in invasion and metastasis of gastric carcinoma. PRL-3 might be a novel molecular marker for aggressive gastric cancer.
Miskad
Upik Anderiani
UA
Division of Surgical Pathology, Department of Biomedical Informatics, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan.
Semba
Shuho
S
Kato
Hirotaka
H
Yokozaki
Hiroshi
H
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000556:secondary; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D017874:Immediate-Early Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; C484730:PTP4A3 protein, human; D017027:Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases