Expression of Rb , p16 and Cyclin D1 Proteins in Gastric Adenoma and Adenocarcinoma

Yang, Young Sang; Chung, In Shik; Kim, Sang Woo; Choi, Jong Young; Kim, Chang Seop

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The alterations in cell cycle regulators and subsequent deregulation of the cell cycle are frequently involved in tumorigenesis and/or tumor progression.
METHODS
In order to evaluate their correlation to gastric carcinogenesis, we analyzed the expression of Rb, p16 and cyclin D1 in 10 cases of human gastric adenomas and 30 cases of gastric adenocarcinomas with various differentiations by immunohistochemistry.
RESULTS
Rb shawed immunoreactivity in all 10 cases of adenomas (100%), 8 cases of well-differentiated gastric adenoearcinomas (80%), 6 cases of mo- derately-differentiated gastric adenocarcinomas (60%) and 2 cases of poorly-differentiated gastric adenocarcinomas (20%). The relationship between the Rb expression and the histologic differentiation of gastric adenomas and adenocarcinomas was statistically significant (P=0.0015). The expression of p16 was observed in 4 cases of poorly-differentiated gastric adenocarcinomas (40%). Cyclin D1 expressed just only 1 case of poorly-differentiated gastric adenocarcinomas.
CONCLUSIONS
The Rb plays an important role in the differentiation of gastric adenocarcinoma. The role of cyclin D1 in the development and progression of gastric adenocarcinoma would not be important and further studies should be followed to reveal the role of p16 on the gastric carcinogenesis.