title: The study of c-Src kinase and pStat3 protein expression in retinoblastoma.
abstract: We examine the immunoreactivity of the non-receptor tyrosine kinase, c-Src kinase and its downstream molecule, signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (pStat3) in retinoblastoma (RB), and correlation with invasiveness and differentiation. Tumor samples from 40 patients with RB were available for the study. There were 18 tumors in group 1 (non-invasive) and 22 tumors in group 2 (invasive). The immunoreactivity of c-Src kinase and pStat3 was compared in the two groups of tumors. Group 1 (non-invasive) RB showed intermediate c-Src kinase immunoreactivity (Allred score 4-5) in 14/18 tumors and low immunoreactivity (Allred score 2-3) in 4/18 tumors. pStat3 was intermediate (Allred score 4-5) in 6/18 tumors and negative (Allred score 0) in 12/18 tumors. Group 2 (invasive) RB showed high c-Src kinase immunoreactivity (Allred score 6-8) in 22/22 tumors and high pStat3 (Allred score 6-8) in 19/22 tumors. The expression of c-Src kinase (P<0.001) and pStat3 (P<0.001) was significantly higher in group 2 RB. Src kinase expression (P<0.05) and pStat3 expression (P<0.05) was higher in the poorly differentiated tumors compared to moderately- and well-differentiated tumors. The increased expression of c-Src kinase and pStat3 expression could play a role in the invasiveness of group 2 tumors. Further characterization of the pathways involved in the pathogenesis of RB will shed light on fundamental mechanisms of tumorigenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ocular Pathology, Vision Research Foundation, Sankara Nethralaya, 18 College Road, Chennai 600 006, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Adithi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mohan
authors.forename: Kandalam
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mallikarjuna
authors.forename: Nalini
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Venkatesan
authors.forename: Dhiraj
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Abhyankar
authors.forename: Purvish M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Parikh
authors.forename: Subramanian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Krishnakumar
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D019572:Retinal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D012175:Retinoblastoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D019061:src-Family Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; D019061:src-Family Kinases