[Preliminary study on the expression of aromatase P450 mRNA in human lung cancer tissues].
BACKGROUND
To evaluate the expression , location and distribution of aromatase P450 mRNA in human lung cancer.


METHODS
Using aromatase P450 cRNA as probe , the expression of aromatase mRNA were tested in 23 patients with primary lung cancer and 7 patients with pulmonary benign diseases by in situ hybridization.


RESULTS
Positive expression of aromatase mRNA was found in 11 cases with squamous cell carcinoma , 6 cases with adenocarcinoma and 2 cases with adenosquamous carcinoma. 3 cases with small cell lung cancer and 1 case with bronchioloalveolar carcinoma were all weak positive. Positive signals were mainly found in cytoplasm and nuclei of tumor cells , and a small quantity of positive expression of aromatase mRNA was found in stromal cells and vascular endothelium cells of the tumor. But no expression of aromatase mRNA was found in the noncancerous tissues and tissues of benign pulmonary lesions.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that the expression of aromatase mRNA are general in lung cancer tissues , and it might play an important role in the oncogenesis and development of lung cancer.
Department of Histology and Embryology , The Third Military Medical University , Chongqing 400038 , P. R. China , P. R. China.
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Zhou
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Cai