title: Rat N-ERC/mesothelin as a marker for in vivo screening of drugs against pancreas cancer.
abstract: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is a highly lethal disease, which is usually diagnosed in an advanced stage. We have established transgenic rats carrying a mutated K-ras gene controlled by Cre/loxP activation. The animals develop PDA which is histopathologically similar to that in humans. Previously, we reported that serum levels of N-ERC/mesothelin were significantly higher in rats bearing PDA than in controls. In the present study, to determine whether serum levels of N-ERC/mesothelin correlated with tumor size, we measured N-ERC/mesothelin levels in rats bearing PDA. Increased serum levels of N-ERC/mesothelin correlated with increased tumor size. This result indicates an interrelationship between the serum level of N-ERC/mesothelin and tumor size. We next investigated the effect of chemotherapy on serum N-ERC/mesothelin levels. Rat pancreatic cancer cells were implanted subcutaneously into the flank of NOD-SCID mice. In the mice treated with 200 mg/kg gemcitabine, tumor weight and the serum level of N-ERC/mesothelin were significantly decreased compared to controls. These results suggest that serum N-ERC/mesothelin measurements might be useful for monitoring response to therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Toxicology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Katsumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fukamachi
authors.affiliation: Nanotoxicology Project, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iigo
authors.affiliation: Immuno-Biological Laboratories, Fujioka-shi, Gunma, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hagiwara
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Toxicology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan; Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shibata
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Toxicology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Mitsuru
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Futakuchi
authors.affiliation: Nanotoxicology Project, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: David B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Alexander
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Oncology, Juntendo University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Okio
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hino
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Toxicology, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Masumi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suzui
authors.affiliation: Nanotoxicology Project, Nagoya City University, Nagoya, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsuda
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D000090204:Mesothelin; D051379:Mice; D016688:Mice, Inbred NOD; D016513:Mice, SCID; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; C000715528:Msln protein, mouse; C000715529:Msln protein, rat; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D000090204:Mesothelin; D000093542:Gemcitabine