Expression of a candidate marker for progenitor cells, Musashi-1, in the proliferative regions of human antrum and its decreased expression in intestinal metaplasia.
OBJECTIVE
Reliable makers for progenitor cells in the human stomach have not been elucidated. The aim of the present study was to clarify whether Musashi-1 (Msi-1), which has recently been proposed as a stem cell marker in mouse intestine, serves as a marker for progenitor cells in human stomach.


RESULTS
Immunohistochemistry revealed that Msi-1+ cells were detected especially in the isthmus/neck region (the putative position of stem cells) of the adult antrum, but were limited to the basal regions of fetal pyloric glands during the early stages of development. These results suggest that Msi-1 expression occurs specifically in the stem cell-containing regions. Msi-1+ cells were intermingled with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)+ cells in the isthmus/neck region of the adult antrum, but did not coexpress PCNA or Ki 67. Msi-1 expression overlapped partly with expression of MUC 5 AC and MUC 6, indicating that Msi-1+ cells retain some features of both foveolar and pyloric gland cell differentiation phenotypes. In contrast, Msi-1 expression in gastric glands showing intestinal metaplasia (IM) became weaker than that in the glands without IM.


CONCLUSIONS
The specific expression of Msi-1 within the proliferative regions suggests that Msi-1 is a marker of cells with progenitor characteristics before active proliferation in human antrum.
Akasaka
Y
Y
Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Toho University, Tokyo, Japan. akasakay@med.toho-u.ac.jp
Saikawa
Y
Y
Fujita
K
K
Kubota
T
T
Ishikawa
Y
Y
Fujimoto
A
A
Ishii
T
T
Okano
H
H
Kitajima
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D015153:Blotting, Western; D005333:Fetus; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D008679:Metaplasia / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D055271:Mucin 5AC; D055272:Mucin-6; D009077:Mucins / Q000378:metabolism; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D011706:Pyloric Antrum / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*
D015415:Biomarkers; C491297:MSI1 protein, human; C524678:MUC5AC protein, human; C524734:MUC6 protein, human; C524679:Muc5ac protein, mouse; C524735:Muc6 protein, mouse; D055271:Mucin 5AC; D055272:Mucin-6; D009077:Mucins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins