title: Roles of mTOR and p-mTOR in gastrointestinal stromal tumors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to examine the relationship between expression of mammal target of rapamycin (mTOR) and phosphorylation of mTOR (p-mTOR) protein in the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathways in gastrointestinal stromal tumors and relatiuonships with clinical factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of the associated proteins mTOR, p-mTOR, and phosphorylation of the tumor suppressor genes PTEN, P27, VEGF, and EGFR in 40 cases of gastrointestinal stromal tumors, with division into a very low and low risk group as well as a moderate and high risk group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The positive rate of mTOR and p-mTOR was significantly increased in the moderate and high risk group compared with the very low and low risk group. The difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). When grouped according to size, the positive mTOR expression rate exhibited a statistical difference (P<0.05), which was significantly increased in the group of tumors larger than 5 cm. The difference in the positive mTOR and p-mTOR expression rate exhibit no statistical significance among the PTEN, P27, VEGF, and EGFR expression subgroups (P>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The different expressions of mTOR and p-mTOR in the signal transduction pathway of gastrointestinal stromal tumor in the different degree-of-risk groups suggested that the mTOR and p-mTOR of the signal transduction pathway serve an important function in the occurrence and development of gastrointestinal stromal tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China E-mail : hongyuzhucn@163.com.
authors.forename: Jun-Chuan
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hong-Yu
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Ting-Xuan
authors.initials: TX
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Lan-Ying
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Zou
authors.forename: Xiao-Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Hui-Chuan
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27 / Q000378:metabolism; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D046152:Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011379:Prognosis; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C436291:CDKN1B protein, human; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D050760:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p27; C546842:MTOR protein, human; C512478:EGFR protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D058570:TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases; D051059:PTEN Phosphohydrolase; C494929:PTEN protein, human