title: Tyrosine kinase receptor RON and its ligand MSP in Merkel cell carcinoma.
abstract: The RON gene, encoding the tyrosine-kinase receptor for macrophage-stimulating protein (MSP), is involved in a range of neoplastic processes. However, no aberration in RON or MSP has been identified in Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). We investigated the RON signaling pathway in MCC. Fourteen cases of MCC were tested for the expression of RON and its ligand, MSP, using reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry. The mutation of RON was also examined. RT-PCR identified transcription of both RON and MSP in all nine cases that were available for the examination. Immunohistochemistry showed the expression of RON (9/14 cases) and MSP (9/14 cases). Six cases out of 14 were positive for both RON and MSP. Normal Merkel cells were negative for RON and MSP expression. Missense mutation in the tyrosine kinase region of RON was detected in one of the 14 cases, and the case showed expression of RON. Transcription of RON and MSP was observed in MCC, and a considerable number of MCC cases expressed both RON and MSP, while Merkel cells do not express these molecules. The results suggest that RON signaling seems to play at least some role in the pathogenesis of MCC.
authors: Department of Diagnostic Pathology, Oita University, Faculty of Medicine, 1-1 Idaigaoka, Hasama-machi, Yufu-shi, Oita 879-5593, Japan.
authors: Junji
authors: J
authors: Nagahama
authors: Tsutomu
authors: T
authors: Daa
authors: Naomi
authors: N
authors: Yada
authors: Kenji
authors: K
authors: Kashima
authors: Sakuhei
authors: S
authors: Fujiwara
authors: Tetsunori
authors: T
authors: Saikawa
authors: Shigeo
authors: S
authors: Yokoyama
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001483:Base Sequence; D015266:Carcinoma, Merkel Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D061346:Laser Capture Microdissection; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020125:Mutation, Missense; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; C082332:macrophage stimulating protein; D017228:Hepatocyte Growth Factor; C080835:RON protein; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases