Shintaro Uchiyama1, Noritaka Saeki1, Kazushige Ogawa1. 1. Shintaro Uchiyama, Noritaka Saeki, Kazushige Ogawa, Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Osaka Prefecture University, Osaka 598-8531, Japan.
Abstract
AIM: To determine whether the expression profiles of EphB receptor and ephrin-B ligand can be used as markers for dysplastic/oncogenic transformation in gastric mucosa. METHODS: The protein expression and localization of EphB and ephrin-B in normal, ulcerated regenerating, and dysplastic gastric mucosa were examined in a rat experimental model by immunolabeling, and mRNA expression was assessed in four human gastric carcinoma cell lines by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Ephrin-B- and EphB-expressing regions were divided along the pit-gland axis in normal gastric units. EphB2 was transiently upregulated in the experimental ulcer, and its expression domain extended to gastric pits and/or the luminal surface where ephrin-B-expressing pit cells reside. EphB2, B3, and B4 and ephrin-B1 were coexpressed in the experimental gastric dysplasia, and more than one ligand-receptor pair was highly expressed in each of the gastric carcinoma cell lines. CONCLUSION: Robust and stable coexpression of EphB and ephrin-B is a feature common to experimentally induced gastric dysplasia and human gastric carcinoma cell lines as compared to normal gastric and ulcerated regenerating epithelia. Thus, EphB/ephrin-B may be a useful marker combination for dysplastic/oncogenic transformation in gastric cancer.
AIM: To determine whether the expression profiles of EphB receptor and ephrin-B ligand can be used as markers for dysplastic/oncogenic transformation in gastric mucosa. METHODS: The protein expression and localization of EphB and ephrin-B in normal, ulcerated regenerating, and dysplastic gastric mucosa were examined in a rat experimental model by immunolabeling, and mRNA expression was assessed in four humangastric carcinoma cell lines by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Ephrin-B- and EphB-expressing regions were divided along the pit-gland axis in normal gastric units. EphB2 was transiently upregulated in the experimental ulcer, and its expression domain extended to gastric pits and/or the luminal surface where ephrin-B-expressing pit cells reside. EphB2, B3, and B4 and ephrin-B1 were coexpressed in the experimental gastric dysplasia, and more than one ligand-receptor pair was highly expressed in each of the gastric carcinoma cell lines. CONCLUSION: Robust and stable coexpression of EphB and ephrin-B is a feature common to experimentally induced gastric dysplasia and humangastric carcinoma cell lines as compared to normal gastric and ulcerated regenerating epithelia. Thus, EphB/ephrin-B may be a useful marker combination for dysplastic/oncogenic transformation in gastric cancer.