title: Organic anion transporting polypeptides expressed in pancreatic cancer may serve as potential diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for early stage adenocarcinomas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Organic Anion Transporting Polypeptides (OATPs) are expressed in various epithelial tissues in the body. Because they can be expressed in cancers and because they can transport anticancer drugs, OATPs could be potential targets for cancer therapy. Therefore we examined their expression in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Expression of all 11 human OATPs was measured at the mRNA level and OATPs with highest expression were characterized at the protein level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Transcripts of SLCO1B3, SLCO2A1, SLCO3A1 and SLCO4A1 were detected in all the tested pancreatic tissues. OATP1B3, OATP2A1, OATP3A1 and OATP4A1 protein expression was confirmed in these tissues and expression of all four transporters increased in pancreatic adenocarcinoma compared to normal pancreas. OATP1B3 expression was highest in pancreatic hyperplasia and stage one adenocarcinomas compared to stage two and three adenocarcinomas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OATP1B3, OATP2A1, OATP3A1 and OATP4A1 are up-regulated in pancreatic adenocarcinoma and could potentially be used to target anticancer drugs to pancreatic cancer. Additionally, because expression of OATP1B3 is highest in pancreatitis and stage one adenocarcinoma, which leads to pancreatic cancer, OATP1B3 is a potential marker to diagnose patients with early stage pancreatic adenocarcinomas.
authors: Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutics, The University of Kansas Medical Center, 3901 Rainbow Blvd., Kansas City, Kansas 66160, USA.
authors: Amanda
authors: A
authors: Hays
authors: Udayan
authors: U
authors: Apte
authors: Bruno
authors: B
authors: Hagenbuch
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D027361:Organic Anion Transporters / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics*; D029362:Organic Anion Transporters, Sodium-Independent / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D010179:Pancreas / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D000074542:Solute Carrier Organic Anion Transporter Family Member 1B3
chemical_list: D027361:Organic Anion Transporters; D029362:Organic Anion Transporters, Sodium-Independent; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C421209:SLCO1B3 protein, human; D000074542:Solute Carrier Organic Anion Transporter Family Member 1B3