ORIGINAL ARTICLE

The metabolic marker tumour pyruvate kinase type M2 (tumour M2-PK) shows increased expression along the metaplasia–dysplasia–adenocarcinoma sequence in Barrett’s oesophagus

K Koss¹, R F Harrison², J Gregory³, S J Darnton⁴, M R Anderson², J A Z Jankowski²

¹ Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TH, UK
² Digestive Diseases Centre, University Department of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Level 4, Windsor Building, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester LE1 5WW, UK
³ Department of Pathology, The Medical School, University Hospital Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
⁴ Department of Thoracic Surgery, Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham, B9 5SS, UK

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Dr K Koss
Digestive Diseases Centre, University Department of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Level 4, Windsor Building, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Leicester LE1 5WW, UK; konradkoss{at}yahoo.com

Background: Proliferating and tumour cells express the glycolytic isoenzyme, pyruvate kinase type M2 (M2-PK). In tumours cells, M2-PK usually exists in dimeric form (tumour M2-PK), causing the accumulation of glycolytic phosphometabolites, which allows cells to invade areas with low oxygen and glucose concentrations.

Aims: To investigate the expression of tumour M2-PK during the metaplasia–dysplasia–adenocarcinoma sequence of Barrett’s oesophagus, and to assess the prognostic usefulness of tumour M2-PK in oesophageal cancer.

Materials/Methods: One hundred and ninety cases selected from the histopathology archives as follows: 17 reflux oesophagitis, 37 Barrett’s oesophagus, 21 high grade dysplasia, 112 adenocarcinomas, and three control tumours. Sections were stained immunohistochemically with antibody to tumour M2-PK.

Results: Tumour M2-PK was expressed in all cases, and increased cytoplasmic expression was seen with progression along the metaplasia–dysplasia–adenocarcinoma sequence. All cases of adenocarcinoma showed 100% staining so that tumour M2-PK was not a useful prognostic marker.

Conclusions: Tumour M2-PK is not a specific marker of Barrett’s adenocarcinoma, but may be important as a marker of transformed and highly proliferating clones during progression along the metaplasia–dysplasia–adenocarcinoma sequence.

Abbreviations: M2-PK, pyruvate kinase type M2; PK, pyruvate kinase

Keywords: Barrett’s oesophagus; dysplasia; adenocarcinoma; pyruvate kinase type M2; tumour M2-PK

CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

• Hulleman, E., Broekhuis, M. J., Pieters, R., Den Boer, M. L (2009). Pyruvate kinase M2 and prednisolone resistance in acute lymphoblastic leukemia. haematol 94: 1322-1324 [Full Text]  
• van Baal, J. W.P.M., Diks, S. H., Wanders, R. J.A., Rygiel, A. M., Milano, F., Joore, J., Bergman, J. J.G.H.M., Peppelenbosch, M. P., Krishnadath, K. K. (2006). Comparison of Kinome Profiles of Barrett's Esophagus with Normal Squamous Esophagus and Normal Gastric Cardia. Cancer Res. 66: 11605-11612 [Abstract] [Full Text]