Detection of thioredoxin in gastric cancer: association with histological type.

Thioredoxin (TRX) is a redox-active protein with multiple intra- and extracellular functions. This protein exists ubiquitously in all life forms, from primitive living cells, such as Escherichia coli and yeast, to higher mammals. Recently, augmentation of the expression and transcription level of TRX has been reported in tumors of various organs. In this study, we examined the expression of TRX in gastric cancer with respect to its histological type and depth of invasion. The association with cell proliferation was also studied. Results of histochemical analysis of surgical specimens as well as cytochemical analysis and Northern blot analysis of gastric cancer cell lines indicated that TRX is predominantly expressed in undifferentiated type gastric cancer rather than in the differentiated type. Neither the depth of tumor invasion nor cell proliferation significantly determined the staining intensity for TRX.