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World J Gastroenterol. May 14, 2007; 13(18): 2615-2618
Published online May 14, 2007. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v13.i18.2615
Pancreas duodenal homeobox-1 expression and significance in pancreatic cancer
Tao Liu, Shan-Miao Gou, Chun-You Wang, He-Shui Wu, Jiong-Xin Xiong, Feng Zhou
Tao Liu, Shan-Miao Gou, Chun-You Wang, He-Shui Wu, Jiong-Xin Xiong, Feng Zhou, Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, Hubei Province, China
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by the grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.30571817, and the PhD Programs Foundation of Ministry of Education of China, No. 20050487077
Correspondence to: Chun-You Wang, MD, Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, Hubei Province, China. chunyouwang52@126.com
Telephone: +86-27-85351621 Fax: +86-27-85351669
Received: January 13, 2007
Revised: January 15, 2007
Accepted: January 31, 2007
Published online: May 14, 2007
Abstract

AIM: To study the correlations of Pancreas duodenal homeobox-1 with pancreatic cancer characteristics, including pathological grading, TNM grading, tumor metastasis and tumor cell proliferation.

METHODS: Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect PDX-1 mRNA expression in pancreatic cancer tissue and normal pancreatic tissue. The expression of PDX-1 protein was measured by Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Immunohistochemistry was also used to detect proliferative cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Correlations of PDX-1 with pancreatic cancer characteristics, including pathological grading, TNM grading, tumor metastasis and tumor cell proliferation, were analyzed by using χ2 test.

RESULTS: Immunohistochemistry showed that 41.1% of pancreatic cancers were positive for PDX-1 expression, but normal pancreatic tissue except islets showed no staining for PDX-1. In consistent with the result of imunohistochemistry, Western blot showed that 37.5% of pancreatic cancers were positive for PDX-1. RT-PCR showed that PDX-1 expression was significantly higher in pancreatic cancer tissues than normal pancreatic tissues (2-3.56 ± 0.35vs 2-8.76 ± 0.14, P < 0.01). Lymph node metastasis (P < 0.01), TNM grading (P < 0.05), pathological grading (P < 0.05) and tumor cell proliferation (P < 0.01) were significantly correlated with PDX-1 expression levels.

CONCLUSION: PDX-1 is re-expressed in pancreatic cancer, and PDX-1-positive pancreatic cancer cells show more malignant potential compared to PDX-1-negative cells. Therefore, PDX-1-positive cells may be tumor stem cells and PDX-1 may act as alternate surface marker of pancreatic cancer stem cells.

Keywords: Pancreatic neoplasms; Transcription factors; Tumor stem cells; Lymphatic metastasis; Biological markers