title: Frizzled-2: A potential novel target for molecular pancreatic cancer therapy.
abstract: In the present study, pancreatic cancer cell proliferation was analyzed following the suppression of frizzled (Fz)2 expression. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed using RNA isolated from pancreatic cancer cell lines, PANC-1, NOR-P1, PK-45H, PK-1, PK-59, MIA-Paca2 and KP4. A surgical specimen of pancreatic cancer was immunostained with antibodies specific to Fz2. Cell proliferation assays were performed with MIA-Paca2 cells transfected with small interfering RNA (siRNA) or short hairpin RNA (shRNA) of Fz2. Fz2 was found to be expressed in all pancreatic cancer cell lines, with the exception of NOR-P1. Immunostaining revealed that Fz2 was not expressed in normal pancreatic tissues, while it was expressed in pancreatic cancer cells. The expression levels of cyclin D1 were analyzed by quantitative PCR. The proliferation and expression of cyclin D1 were suppressed with the siRNA and shRNA of Fz2 in the MIA-Paca2 cells. Therefore, Fz2 is a potential target for the molecular therapy of pancreatic cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, National Hospital Organization, Shimoshizu Hospital, Yotsukaido, Chiba 284-0003, Japan.
authors.forename: Minoru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomizawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, National Hospital Organization, Shimoshizu Hospital, Yotsukaido, Chiba 284-0003, Japan.
authors.forename: Fuminobu
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shinozaki
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, National Hospital Organization, Shimoshizu Hospital, Yotsukaido, Chiba 284-0003, Japan.
authors.forename: Takao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sugiyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, National Hospital Organization, Shimoshizu Hospital, Yotsukaido, Chiba 284-0003, Japan.
authors.forename: Shigenori
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, National Hospital Organization, Shimoshizu Hospital, Yotsukaido, Chiba 284-0003, Japan.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sueishi
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, National Hospital Organization, Shimoshizu Hospital, Yotsukaido, Chiba 284-0003, Japan.
authors.forename: Takanobu
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshida
keywords: MTS assay; frizzled genes; quantitative PCR; β-catenin