title: Study on the relationship between CXCR4 expression and perineural invasion in pancreatic cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recent reports have shown that C-X-C chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) plays an important role in metastasis. Despite a clear understanding of the protein's structure and properties, its functional role remains elusive. We conducted the present study to evaluate the expressions of CXCR4 in pancreatic cancer, and to investigate its relationship with clinicopathological parameters, especially perineural invasion(PNI).
  
  
  METHODS
  The association between CXCR4 expression and perineural invasion was determined by immunohistochemistry in pancreatic cancer patients (n=51).
  
  
  RESULTS
  CXCR4 expression was correlated with the existence of PNI and the type of PNI (p=0.042, p=0.040). TIMP-2 expression was also correlated with the existence, the pathway and degree of PNI (p=0.000, p=0.006, p=0.000).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest an association between PNI and expression of CXCR4 and TIMP-2 in pancreatic cancer. CXCR4 may promote the occurrence of PNI in pancreatic cancer cells by decreasing the inhibition of TIMPs on MMP.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety Ministry of Education, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin International Joint Academy of Biomedicine, Tianjin, China E-mail : me1991@163.com.
authors.forename: Yu-Mei
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Guang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Bao-Cun
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Xiu-Lan
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Zhong-Kai
authors.initials: ZK
authors.lastname: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism*; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000556:secondary*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060787:Neoplasm Grading; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D011379:Prognosis; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C527276:CXCR4 protein, human; D019718:Receptors, CXCR4