title: Upregulation of CD39/NTPDases and P2 receptors in human pancreatic disease.
abstract: Chronic inflammation, fibrosis, atrophy, malignant transformation, and thromboembolic events are hallmarks of chronic pancreatic disease. Extracellular nucleotides have been implicated as inflammatory mediators in many pathological situations. However, there are minimal data detailing expression of ectonucleotidases and type-2 purinergic receptors (P2R) in chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. We have therefore defined tissue distribution and localization of the CD39 family of ectonucleotidases and associated P2R in human disease. Transcripts of ectonucleotidases (CD39 and CD39L1) together with P2R (P2X7, P2Y2, and P2Y6) are significantly increased in both chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. CD39 and CD39L1 are preferentially associated with the vasculature and stromal elements in pathological tissues. P2X7 mRNA upregulation was associated with chronic pancreatitis, and heightened protein expression was found to be localized to infiltrating cells. P2Y2 was markedly upregulated in biopsies of pancreatic cancer tissues and expressed by fibroblasts adjacent to tumors. High-tissue mRNA levels of CD39 significantly correlated with better long-term survival after tumor resection in patients with pancreatic cancer. Heightened expression patterns and localization patterns of CD39, P2X7, and P2Y2 infer associations with chronic inflammation and neoplasia of the pancreas. Our data suggest distinct roles for CD39 and P2-purinergic signaling in both tissue remodeling and fibrogenesis with respect to human pancreatic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Liver and Transplantation Centers, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard University, Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, USA.
authors.forename: Beat M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Künzli
authors.forename: Pascal O
authors.initials: PO
authors.lastname: Berberat
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Giese
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Csizmadia
authors.forename: Elzbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kaczmarek
authors.forename: Colin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baker
authors.forename: Irfan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Halaceli
authors.forename: Markus W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Büchler
authors.forename: Helmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Friess
authors.forename: Simon C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Robson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics*; D001081:Apyrase / Q000235:genetics*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010182:Pancreatic Diseases / Q000235:genetics*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000235:genetics; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2 / Q000235:genetics*; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000235:genetics; D014019:Tissue Donors
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D018048:Receptors, Purinergic P2; D001081:Apyrase; C067869:CD39 antigen