title: [Expression of Smad4 and transforming growth factor-beta1, transforming growth factor-beta receptor II in cholangiocarcinoma tissue and its biological significance].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the expression of Smad4 and transforming growth factor-beta(1) (TGFbeta(1)), transforming growth factor-beta receptor II (TGFbetaRII) in cholangiocarcinoma tissue and its relationship with the biological behaviour and prognosis of the disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expressions of Smad4, TGFbeta(1) and TGFbetaRII were detected by immunohistochemical technique in 47 specimens of cholangiocarcinoma and the normal bile duct tissue adjacent to the tumor. The expressions of Smad4, TGFbeta(1) and TGFbetaRII were compared with the clinical stages and pathological grades of the patients.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The expression of TGFbeta(1) was positive in 36 cholangiocarcinomas (76.6%), which was higher than that in the normal tissue adjacent to the lesion. The positive expressions of Smad4 and TGFbetaRII were 14 (29.8%) and 28 (59.6%) in the carcinoma tissues, respectively (P < 0.05). The expression of TGFbeta(1) was related to the clinical stage, metastasis of lymph node and liver of the tumor (P < 0.05), but not with the histological grade (P > 0.05). There was positive correlation between TGFbetaRII expression and the clinical stage (P < 0.05), but no correlation between the TGFbetaRII expression and histological grade or metastasis of lymph node and liver (P > 0.05). The expression of Smad4 was associated with the histological grade, clinical stage and metastasis of lymph node and liver (P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The expressions of Smad4, TGFbeta(1) and TGFbetaRII correlate with the histological grading, clinical staging and metastasis of the lymph node and liver in cholangiocarcinoma. Combined detection of Smad4, TGFbeta(1) and TGFbetaRII may be helpful in the determination of the malignant degree and the prognosis of this disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatobiliary and Vascular Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao 266003, China. cloudylucn@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Bing-yuan
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jian-yu
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Li-qun
authors.initials: LQ
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001650:Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001653:Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D018281:Cholangiocarcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D000077294:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type II; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D051901:Smad4 Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018125:Receptors, Transforming Growth Factor beta; C497796:SMAD4 protein, human; D051901:Smad4 Protein; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D000077294:Receptor, Transforming Growth Factor-beta Type II