title: HMGA1 and HMGA2 protein expression correlates with advanced tumour grade and lymph node metastasis in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma follows a multistep model of progression through precursor lesions called pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN). The high mobility group A1 (HMGA1) and high mobility group A2 (HMGA2) proteins are architectural transcription factors that have been implicated in the pathogenesis and progression of malignant tumours, including pancreatic cancer. The aim of this study was to explore the role of HMGA1 and HMGA2 in pancreatic carcinogenesis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HMGA1 and HMGA2 expression was examined in 210 ductal pancreatic adenocarcinomas from resection specimens, combined on a tissue microarray also including 40 examples of PanIN and 40 normal controls. The results were correlated with the clinicopathological parameters of the tumours and the outcome of the patients. The percentage of tumour cells showing HMGA1 and HMGA2 nuclear immunoreactivity correlated positively with increasing malignancy grade and lymph node metastasis. Moreover, HMGA1 and HMGA2 expression was significantly higher in invasive carcinomas than in PanINs. No, or very low, expression was found in normal pancreatic tissue.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that HMGA1 and HMGA2 are implicated in pancreatic carcinogenesis and may play a role in tumour progression towards a more malignant phenotype.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pathology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Piscuoglio
authors.forename: Inti
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zlobec
authors.forename: Pierlorenzo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pallante
authors.forename: Romina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sepe
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.forename: Arthur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.forename: Ioannis
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Diamantis
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Terracciano
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fusco
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Karamitopoulou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000556:secondary*; D005260:Female; D025741:HMGA1a Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D025743:HMGA2 Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000379:methods; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D046888:Tissue Array Analysis; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D025743:HMGA2 Protein; D025741:HMGA1a Protein