title: Prokineticin 1 expression in gastrointestinal tumors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We studied prokineticin 1 (PROK1) expression in human gastrointestinal carcinomas by immunohistochemistry.
  
  
  METHODS
  PROK1 expression was examined in human gastrointestinal cancer cell lines and primary gastrointestinal lesions. In addition the relationship between the number of blood vessels and PROK1 expression in these primary lesions was examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  PROK1 expression was observed in gastrointestinal cancer cell lines. PROK1 expression was not observed in healthy gastrointestinal mucosa, but was observed in the primary lesions in 23 out of 98 (31.6%) patients with colorectal cancer, 19 out of 55 (34.5%) patients with gastric cancer, and 5 of 10 (50%) patients with cancer of the small intestine. PROK1 expression was observed in many patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer. The number of blood vessels in PROK1-positive primary gastrointestinal lesions was higher than that in PROK1-negative primary lesions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PROK1 expression might be related to the extent of malignancy in gastrointestinal cancer.
authors: First Department of Surgery, University of Fukui, 23-3, Eiheiji-cho, Yoshida-gun, Fukui, Japan. tgoi@u-fukui.ac.jp.
authors: Takanori
authors: T
authors: Goi
authors: Toshiyuki
authors: T
authors: Nakazawa
authors: Yasuo
authors: Y
authors: Hirono
authors: Akio
authors: A
authors: Yamaguchi
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D005768:Gastrointestinal Hormones / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D042662:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, Endocrine-Gland-Derived / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D005768:Gastrointestinal Hormones; C467610:PROK1 protein, human; D042662:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, Endocrine-Gland-Derived
keywords: Prokineticin 1; gastrointestinal tumors