Loss of caspase-2, -6 and -7 expression in gastric cancers.

Caspases play an essential role during apoptotic cell death, and alterations of caspases are known to contribute to human cancer development. In the current study, we analyzed the expression of caspase-2, -6 and -7 in 120 gastric carcinomas by immunohistochemistry using a tissue microarray approach. Caspase-2, -6 and -7 were expressed in 42 (35%), 63 (53%) and 39 (33%) of the gastric cancers, respectively. By contrast, the surface mucous cells and mucosal glandular cells in the normal gastric mucosa showed strong immunoreactivity for caspase-2, -6 and -7. Taken together, these results indicate that caspase-2, -6 and -7 expression in gastric cancer cells is decreased compared to in normal gastric mucosal cells, and suggest that loss of caspase-2, -6 and -7 expression might be involved in the mechanisms of gastric cancer development.