title: Immunohistochemical expression of osteopontin in gastric cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Osteopontin (OPN) is significantly overexpressed in a variety of malignancies. However, little is known concerning the significance of OPN expression in human cancers. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the degree of OPN expression, the proliferative activity of cancer cells, and the clinicopathological findings for surgically resected gastric cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated the immunohistochemical expression of OPN in 85 specimens of cancer. Additionally, we investigated a cancer cell proliferative index using an anti-MIB-1 antibody and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP biotin nick end labeling staining. Levels of OPN expression in gastric cancers were classified into three groups. To compare the relationship between OPN expression and clinicopathological findings, the features of cancer lesions were classified using the TNM Classification of Malignant Tumors, 6th Edition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immunohistochemical examination of OPN expression in gastric cancer revealed diffuse granular staining in the cytoplasm. High OPN expression was observed in 37 of 85 carcinomas. Strong OPN expression was significantly associated with a low apoptotic index, a high proliferative index, depth of invasion, lymphatic invasion, and venous invasion. Pathologically, intestinal type carcinoma showed strong expression of OPN.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggested that OPN may play an important role in the invasiveness and the progressive nature of gastric cancer.
authors: Department of Surgery, Kinki University School of Medicine, Osaka-Sayama, Osaka, Japan. imano@med.kindai.ac.jp
authors: Motohiro
authors: M
authors: Imano
authors: Takao
authors: T
authors: Satou
authors: Tatsuki
authors: T
authors: Itoh
authors: Kenichi
authors: K
authors: Sakai
authors: Eizaburo
authors: E
authors: Ishimaru
authors: Atsushi
authors: A
authors: Yasuda
authors: Ying-Feng
authors: YF
authors: Peng
authors: Masayuki
authors: M
authors: Shinkai
authors: Fumiharu
authors: F
authors: Akai
authors: Takushi
authors: T
authors: Yasuda
authors: Haruhiko
authors: H
authors: Imamoto
authors: Kiyokata
authors: K
authors: Okuno
authors: Hiroyuki
authors: H
authors: Ito
authors: Hitoshi
authors: H
authors: Shiozaki
authors: Harumasa
authors: H
authors: Ohyanagi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D005260:Female; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000473:pathology; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D053495:Osteopontin / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D011336:Probability; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D053495:Osteopontin