title: Expression of mRNAs of Urocortin in the STKM-1 gastric cancer cell line.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Urocortin is analogous to corticotrophin-releasing factors (CRFs) and a member of the CRF family. We previously demonstrated that urocortin mRNAs were expressed in both human and rat glioma cell lines, and that some of these lines transcribed the receptors. We hypothesize that urocortin might also be expressed in a gastric cancer cell line. The aim of the present study was to clarify the expression of mRNAs of urocortin1 (UCN1), -2 and -3 and of CRF and CRF receptors 1 and 2 in a gastric cancer cell line.
  
  
  METHODS
  STKM-1 a poorly-differentiated adenocarcinoma cell line was used. Transcripts in the cells were analyzed using cDNA. The fluctuation of mRNA with cellular stress, such as the one caused by a chemotherapeutic agent, serum supplementation and forskolin was examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Transcripts of UCN1, -2 and CRFR2 were expressed. No changes in transcription of UCN1 and UCN2 were observed with cellular stress. However, expression of CRFR2 mRNA transcripts significantly increased after an initial 24-h exposure to forskolin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Expression of the mRNAs of UCN1, 2 and CRFR2 was confirmed in the human gastric cancer cell line, STKM-1. Although the quantity of CRFR2 transcripts varied with forskolin, the overall transcription pattern was not influenced by cellular stimuli.
authors: Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Jikei University School of Medicine, 3-25-8 Nishishimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-8461, Japan. manome@jikei.ac.jp.
authors: Kohei
authors: K
authors: Akiyoshi
authors: Minori
authors: M
authors: Kamada
authors: Kouki
authors: K
authors: Fujioka
authors: Keiichi
authors: K
authors: Ikeda
authors: Katsuyoshi
authors: K
authors: Tojo
authors: Yoshinobu
authors: Y
authors: Manome
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D017931:DNA Primers; D006801:Humans; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics*; D018019:Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D054832:Urocortins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018019:Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D054832:Urocortins
keywords: STKM-1 cell line; Urocortin; corticotrophin-releasing factor receptors; gastric cancer