title: Enhanced expression of Wnt9a in the flexor tenosynovium in idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome.
abstract: This study aimed to clarify the association between abnormal Wnt signaling and the cause of idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome (ICTS) and whether an association exists between Wnt signaling and cell proliferation in the flexor tenosynovium. The subjects included nine patients with ICTS; the controls were nine patients with distal radius fractures without any symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. We extracted mRNA from the flexor tenosynovium and compared the expression levels of genes encoding 17 types of Wnt in both subjects and controls via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Expression levels of factors involved in cell proliferation, such as estrogen-responsive finger protein, epidermal growth factor receptor, heparin binding-epidermal growth factor-like growth factor, insulin-like growth factor-1, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were also measured using quantitative real-time PCR. In addition, we compared the Wnt and MIB-1 protein expression levels to clarify the effect of Wnt on cell proliferation. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed significantly greater expression of the gene encoding Wnt9a in subjects with ICTS than in controls and also revealed a positive correlation between the expression of genes encoding Wnt9a and VEGF in subjects with ICTS. Quantitative evaluation using immunohistochemical staining also indicated more marked Wnt9a expression in subjects than in controls. However, there was no relationship between the expression of Wnt9a and the cell proliferation index MIB-1. These results indicate that Wnt9a expression is enhanced in ICTS and that Wnt9a may be involved in VEGF expression in ICTS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiaki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamanaka
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Kunitaka
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Menuki
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Yukichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zenke
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Hideyuki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hirasawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Occupational and Environmental Health, 1-1 Iseigaoka, Yahatanishi-ku, Kitakyushu Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: Akinori
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sakai
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002349:Carpal Tunnel Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D014955:Wrist Joint / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: C110670:WNT9A protein, human; D051153:Wnt Proteins
keywords: MIB-1; Wnt signal; flexor tensynovium; idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome; vascular endothelial growth factor