Korean J Gastroenterol.  2003 Oct;42(4):274-282.

Expression of CD40 in Gastric Cancer and Its Effect on the Apoptosis of Gastric Cancer Cells

• Kim SW
• Lee HS
• Yoon SK
• Chung WC
• Cho YS
• Jeong JJ
• Lee IS
• Lee KM
• Lee DS
• Choi MG
• Chung IS
• Park DH

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The expression of CD40 in gastric cancer has not been studied. The aims of this study were to determine the expression of CD40 in gastric cancer and to investigate the effect of CD40 on the apoptosis of gastric cancer cells.
METHODS
We examined the expression of CD40 by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. CD40 mRNA in 5 gastric cancer cell lines was analyzed by RT-PCR. To assess the effect of CD40 on the viability of gastric cancer cells, we performed MTT assay. The effect of CD40 signaling on the apoptosis of gastric cancer cells was examined by annexin V affinity assay.
RESULTS
Twelve of twenty human gastric cancer tissues demonstrated positive staining for CD40. Among 5 gastric cancer cell lines, AGS cell line expressed membrane-bound CD40 antigen and CD40 mRNA. In AGS cells, CD40 stimulation significantly reduced the cell viability. CD40 ligation significantly increased the apoptosis in AGS cells compared to the control.
CONCLUSIONS
CD40 is expressed in human gastric cancer tissues and gastric cancer cell line, and induces apoptosis in gastric cancer cells. These results suggest that CD40 expression in gastric cancer may play an important role in host defense mechanism against the gastric cancer.

Keyword

Antigens; CD40; Stomach neoplasms; Apoptosis

MeSH Terms

Antigens, CD40/*analysis/physiology
*Apoptosis
Cell Line, Tumor
Humans
Immunohistochemistry
Stomach Neoplasms/*chemistry/pathology