Differential expression of aquaporin-4 in human gastric normal and cancer tissues.
OBJECTIVE
Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) is a member of the water channel protein family, which is thought to be associated with tumor development. A recent work suggests that AQP play key roles in tumor biology.


METHODS
In this study, we measured the expression and localization of AQP4 in 60 gastric epithelial tumor cases and 10 normal tissue cases by immunohistochemistry, Western blotting and RT-PCR analysis.


RESULTS
AQP4 protein and mRNA expression level in gastric cancer tissue were significantly lower than those in normal gastric tissue. No significant variations were found according to TNM stage, histological type, grade and distant metastasis.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that the expression of AQP4 is a marker of normal proliferating gastric epithelial cells. More cases and further research may be necessary to elucidate their exact role in normal or pathologic proliferation and/or differentiation.
Xu
H
H
Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, 300 Guangzhou Road, Nanjing 210029, PR China.
Zhang
Y
Y
Wei
W
W
Shen
L
L
Wu
W
W
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D051401:Aquaporin 4 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000601:surgery
D051401:Aquaporin 4; D012333:RNA, Messenger