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Expression of growth factors and their receptors in human esophageal carcinomas: regulation of expression by epidermal growth factor and transforming growth factor α

  • Original Papers
  • Experimenal Oncology
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Abstract

The expression of mRNAs for epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor α(TGFα), EGFR, platet-derived growth factor (PDGF) A and B chain, PDGF receptor (PDGFR), transforming growth factor β (TGFβ),erbB-2 and estrogen receptor (ER) genes was first examined in 6 human esophageal carcinoma cell lines, 6 xenoplanted and 15 surgically resected esophageal carcinomas. Secondly, the effect of EGF and TGFα on the expression of these genes by the TE-1 esophageal carcinoma cell line was investigated. The expression of EGF mRNA was detected in 8 (29.6%) of 27 tumors including the cell lines, whereas the TGFα and EGFR genes were expressed in 21 (77.8%) and 24 (88.9%) tumors respectively. PDGF B chain and PDGFR were detected in 18 (66.7%) and 20 (74.1%), respectively, and ER mRNA was observed in 16 (59.3%) tumors. Genes for PDGF A chain and TGFβ and theerbB-2 gene were commonly expressed. On the other hand, exogenous EGF and TGFα stimulated the expressions offos andmyc genes by TE-1 cells. The expression of mRNAs for TGFα, PDGF A and B chain and theerbB-2 genes was also increased after treatment with EGF. TGFα increased the accumulation of mRNAs for EGF, Moreover, the expression of mRNAs for interstitial collagenase, stromelysin and type IV collagenase was increased after EGF or TGFα treatment. These results indicate that EGF and TGFα may regulate the multi-growth-factor receptor expression and may play a central role for tumor invasion and metastasis as autocrine modulators for human esophageal carcinoma.

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Abbreviations

EGF:

epidermal growth factor

TGF:

transforming growth factor

PDGF:

platelet-derived growth factor

ER:

estrogen receptor

R:

receptor

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. First Department of Pathology, Hiroshima University School of Medicine, 1-2-3 Kasumi, Minami-ku, 734, Hiroshima, Japan

    Kazuhiro Yoshida, Hiroki Kuniyasu, Wataru Yasui, Yasuhiko Kitadai & Eiichi Tahara

  2. Department of Surgery, Research Institute for Nuclear Medicine and Biology, Hiroshima University, Japan

    Kazuhiro Yoshida, Hiroki Kuniyasu & Tetsuya Toge

Authors
  1. Kazuhiro Yoshida
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  2. Hiroki Kuniyasu
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  3. Wataru Yasui
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  4. Yasuhiko Kitadai
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  5. Tetsuya Toge
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  6. Eiichi Tahara
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Yoshida, K., Kuniyasu, H., Yasui, W. et al. Expression of growth factors and their receptors in human esophageal carcinomas: regulation of expression by epidermal growth factor and transforming growth factor α. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 119, 401–407 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01218421

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01218421

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