RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 RUNX3 expression in primary and metastatic pancreatic cancer
JF Journal of Clinical Pathology
JO J Clin Pathol
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Association of Clinical Pathologists
SP 294
OP 299
DO 10.1136/jcp.2003.013011
VO 57
IS 3
A1 J Li
A1 J Kleeff
A1 A Guweidhi
A1 I Esposito
A1 P O Berberat
A1 T Giese
A1 M W Büchler
A1 H Friess
YR 2004
UL http://jcp.bmj.com/content/57/3/294.abstract
AB Aim: Runx transcription factors are important regulators of lineage specific gene expression, cell proliferation, and differentiation. Runx3 expression is lost in a high proportion of gastric cancers, suggesting a tumour suppressive role in this malignancy. This study investigates the expression and localisation of Runx3 in pancreatic tissues. Methods: Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to measure Runx3 mRNA. Immunohistochemistry was carried out to localise Runx3 in normal pancreatic tissues, and in primary and metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Basal and transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) induced Runx3 expression was analysed in cultured pancreatic cancer cell lines. Results: Runx3 expression was low to absent in normal pancreatic tissues, but increased in a third of cancer tissues. Runx3 was present only in islets in normal pancreas, whereas in pancreatic cancers, Runx3 was detected in the cancer cells of seven of 24 samples analysed. In addition, it was expressed by lymphocytes in six of the 16 cases with lymphocyte infiltration. In pancreatic cancer cell lines, Runx3 mRNA was present in Colo-357 and T3M4 cells, but was low to absent in the other cell lines tested. TGFβ1 repressed Runx3 mRNA expressed in Colo-357 cells, and had no effect on Runx3 expression in the other pancreatic cancer cell lines. Conclusion: Runx3 expression is restricted to islets in the normal pancreas. In contrast, a considerable proportion of pancreatic tumours express Runx3, and its expression is localised in the tumour cells and in the infiltrating lymphocytes. Thus, Runx3 might play a role in the pathogenesis of PDAC.