Differential c-erbB-1 and c-erbB-2 mRNA expression in cancer of the pancreas compared with cancer of the papilla of Vater.
OBJECTIVE
We examined quantitative mRNA expression of growth factor receptors (c-erbB-1, c-erbB-2) and the anti-apoptosis gene survivin known to be regulated in pancreatic adenocarcinomas and compared the expression pattern with that in carcinomas of the papilla of Vater.


METHODS
Quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-PCR (QRT-PCR, Taqman) was performed to analyze mRNA expression levels of c-erbB-1, c-erbB-2 and survivin in normal and corresponding tumor samples of 31 pancreatic adenocarcinomas and 8 cancers of the papilla of Vater.


RESULTS
The overall median mRNA expression of survivin was significantly increased in both adenocarcinoma of the pancreas (P<0.01) and papilla of Vater (P<0.008) compared with uninvolved normal control tissue. In pancreatic cancer, expression of c-erbB-1 was significantly decreased compared with the normal pancreatic tissue (P<0.03), whereas in the cancer of the papilla of Vater expression of c-erbB-2 was significantly downregulated (P<0.05) compared with the paired normal samples. Gene expression was not associated with tumor stage, differentiation or prognosis.


CONCLUSIONS
The common anti-apoptosis gene survivin is overexpressed both in the cancer of the papilla of Vater and pancreas. In contrast, the growth factor receptor genes c-erbB-1 and c-erbB-2 are differentially regulated in both tumor entities adding further evidence that pancreatic cancer is biologically different from the cancer of papilla of Vater.
Prenzel
Klaus L
KL
Department of Visceral and Vascular Surgery, University of Cologne, Joseph-Stelzmann-Str. 9, 50931 Cologne, Germany. klausprenzel@hotmail.com
Warnecke-Eberz
Ute
U
Brabender
Jan
J
Baldus
Stephan E
SE
Bollschweiler
Elfriede
E
Gutschow
Christian A
CA
Drebber
Uta
U
Hoelscher
Arnulf H
AH
Schneider
Paul M
PM
D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014670:Ampulla of Vater; D003138:Common Bile Duct Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D008297:Male; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate; D000077022:Survivin
D066246:ErbB Receptors; D051034:Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins; D008869:Microtubule-Associated Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D000077022:Survivin; C107489:BIRC5 protein, human