J Korean Med Sci.  1996 Feb;11(1):33-37. 10.3346/jkms.1996.11.1.33.

Expression of urokinase: type plasminogen activator, its receptor, and its inhibitor in gastric adenocarcinoma tissues

• Hong SI
• Park IC
• Son YS
• Lee SH
• Kim BG
• Lee JI
• Lee TW
• Kook YH
• Min YI
• Hong WS

• KMID: 932128
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.1996.11.1.33

Abstract

The plasminogen and plasmin system, which is mainly regulated by urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA), its receptor (uPAR) and its inhibitor (PAI-1), is generally believed to play a role in cancer invasion and metastasis. This study was conducted to investigate the role of uPA, uPAR and PAI-1 in the invasion and metastasis of gastric adenocarcinoma. The expression of mRNAs for uPA and PAI-1 was determined by Northern blot analysis in nine primary gastric cancer tissues, nine paired metastatic lymph nodes and normal gastric mucosa. The mRNA of uPA was not or faintly detected in normal mucosa, while the expression was increased in both primary gastric cancer tissues and metastatic lymph nodes to a similar degree. The mRNA expression for PAI-1 in the gastric cancer tissues was not different from that in the paired metastatic lymph nodes and normal mucosae. uPAR was determined by immunohistochemical staining, demonstrating that five (56%) and six (67%) out of nine primary gastric cancer tissues and nine paired metastatic lymph nodes were positive, respectively and the intensity was stronger in metastatic lymph nodes. The results support the concept that most gastric cancer cells may have an innately moderate level of uPA and uPAR, and that increase of uPAR expression can be considered to be closely associated with cancer invasion and metastasis.

Keyword

gastric adenocarcinoma; metastatic lymph nodes; Urokonase-type plasminogen activator; Plasminogen activator receptor; Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1; Northern blot analysis; Immunohistochem

MeSH Terms

Adenocarcinoma/*metabolism/pathology
Gastric Mucosa/metabolism
Gene Expression
Human
Immunoenzyme Techniques
Lymph Nodes/metabolism/pathology
Neoplasm Metastasis
Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1/*biosynthesis/genetics
Plasminogen Activators/*biosynthesis/genetics
RNA, Messenger/biosynthesis
Receptors, Cell Surface/*biosynthesis/genetics
Stomach Neoplasms/*metabolism/pathology
Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Urinary Plasminogen Activator/*biosynthesis/genetics