Aberrant expression of cdx2 homeobox gene in intraductal papillary-mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas but not in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
The authors investigated differential expression of cdx2 in intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the pancreas (IPMN) and ductal adenocarcinoma.


METHODS
Patients with IPMN (n = 23) and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (n = 30) were studied. Expression of cdx2 mRNA, CDX2 protein, muc2 mRNA, MUC2 apomucin, and MUC5AC apomucin were determined.


RESULTS
Of 23 IPMN, expression of cdx2 was detected in 8 of 9 adenomas, 6 of 8 borderline malignancies, and 3 of 6 malignancies, respectively. Of the 3 cdx2-expressing malignant IPMN, 2 did not display CDX2 expression. The appearance of CDX2-positive neoplastic cells in IPMN coincided with that of MUC2-positive neoplastic cells. All 23 IPMN displayed a positive MUC5AC expression irrespective to the status of CDX2 expression. Of 30 ductal adenocarcinomas, none displayed cdx2, CDX2, and MUC2 expression, while 10 cases displayed positive MUC5AC expression.


CONCLUSIONS
Aberrant expression of cdx2 homeobox gene was detected in IPMN but not in ductal adenocarcinoma, which might determine their diverse carcinogenesis.
Yeh
Ta-Sen
TS
Department of Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University, Taipei, Taiwan. surglab@adm.cgmh.org.tw
Ho
Yu-Pin
YP
Chiu
Cheng-Tang
CT
Chen
Tse-Ching
TC
Jan
Yi-Yi
YY
Chen
Miin-Fu
MF
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D002288:Adenocarcinoma, Mucinous / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000071616:CDX2 Transcription Factor; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology
D000071616:CDX2 Transcription Factor; C491270:CDX2 protein, human; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins