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World J Gastroenterol. May 21, 2006; 12(19): 3119-3122
Published online May 21, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i19.3119
Expression of trefoil factors 1 and 2 in precancerous condition and gastric cancer
Shu-Qing Shi, Jian-Ting Cai, Jian-Ming Yang
Shu-Qing Shi, Jian-Ming Yang, Department of Gastroenterology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Hangzhou 310014, Zhejiang Province, China
Jian-Ting Cai, Department of Gastroenterology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, Zhejiang Province, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work
Correspondence to: Shu-Qing Shi, Department of Gastroen-terology, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Hangzhou 310014, Zhejiang Province, China. shp1995@126.com
Telephone: +86-0-13588735873
Received: July 18, 2005
Revised: August 5, 2005
Accepted: August 12, 2005
Published online: May 21, 2006
Abstract

AIM: To study the expression of trefoil factor 1 (TFF1) and TFF2 in precancerous condition and gastric cancer and to explore the relationship between TFFs and tumorigenesis, precancerous condition and gastric cancer.

METHODS: The expression of TFF1 and TFF2 was immunohistochemically analyzed in paraffin-embedded samples from 140 patients including 35 cases of chronic superficial gastritis (CSG), 35 cases of gastric ulcer (GU), 35 cases of chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) and 35 cases of gastric cancer (GC).

RESULTS: TFF1 and TFF2 were located in cytoplasm of gastric mucous cells. In CSG, GU, CAG and GC, the level of TFF1 expression had a decreased tendency (P < 0.05). The expression of TFF2 was higher in GU than in CSG, but the difference was not significant. The expression of TFF2 also had a decreased tendency in GU, CAG, and GC (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: The reduced expression of TFF1 and TFF2 in precancerous conditions and gastric cancer may be associated with the proliferation and malignant transformation of gastric mucosa. More investigations are needed to explore the mechanism of TFFs and the relationship between TFFs and gastric cancer.

Keywords: Trefoil factor; Gastric cancer; Immunohis-tochemistry