Increased expression of ADAM 9 and ADAM 15 mRNA in pancreatic cancer.
BACKGROUND
A disintegrin and metalloproteases (ADAMs) comprise a multifunctional family of membrane-anchored proteins. ADAM 9 and ADAM 15 are involved in cell migration and invasion. Expression of ADAM 9 and ADAM 15 was reported to be altered in several types of cancer.


METHODS
Quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was performed to measure the expression of ADAM 9 mRNA in bulk pancreatic tissues. Results showed no significant difference in the expression of ADAM 9 mRNA between pancreatic cancer and non-neoplastic pancreas. Primary cultured pancreatic fibroblasts also expressed ADAM 9 mRNA. Therefore, a laser microdissection and pressure catapulting technique was employed to isolate cancer cells from tumor tissues. The expression of ADAM 9 and ADAM 15 mRNA was measured in microdissected samples (cancer cells, n = 11; normal epithelial cells, n = 13 for ADAM 9; cancer cells, n = 9; normal epithelial cells, n = 9 for ADAM 15).


RESULTS
Pancreatic cancer cells expressed significantly higher levels of ADAM 9 and ADAM 15 mRNA than did normal pancreatic epithelial cells (p = 0.016 for ADAM 9; p = 0.004 for ADAM 15).


CONCLUSIONS
ADAM 9 and ADAM 15 are involved in pancreatic cancer. Microdissection-based analysis appears to be indispensable for the accurate analysis of the expression of certain ADAM family members in pancreatic cancer.
Yamada
Daisuke
D
Department of Surgery and Oncology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Ohuchida
Kenoki
K
Mizumoto
Kazuhiro
K
Ohhashi
Seiji
S
Yu
Jun
J
Egami
Takuya
T
Fujita
Hayato
H
Nagai
Eishi
E
Tanaka
Masao
M
D051722:ADAM Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D010179:Pancreas / Q000201:enzymology / Q000502:physiology; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D008565:Membrane Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051722:ADAM Proteins; C098660:ADAM15 protein, human; C098339:ADAM9 protein, human