Expression and significance of sex hormones and their synthetases in gastric carcinoma

Abstract

Objective To investigate the expression of estradiol （ E2 ） , testosterone （T） , estrogen receptor （ER）, androgen receptor （AR）, 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase2 （17β-HSD2） and 17β- hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase5 （17β-HSD5） in gastric carcinomas and their relationship. Methods Tissue microarray technology and innnunohistochemical Elivision plus method were used to detect the expression of E2, T protein in 56 pairs of samples of gastric carcinoma and normal gastric tissue. The mRNA transcription levels of 17β-HSD2 and 17β-HSD5 were measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR）. Results （ 1 ） The E2 protein expression levels in gastric carcinoma tissues （0. 2381 ± 0. 0718） was significantly higher than in normal gastric tissues （0. 1832 ±0. 0628, P 〈 0. 05 ）, on the contrary, the 17β-HSD2 mRNA transcription level in gastric carcinoma tissues （0. 8065 ± 0. 3797） was significantly lower than in normal gastric tissues （0. 9788 ±0. 2325 ,P 〈0. 05）, a negative correlation between them （r = 0. 294, P 〈 0. 05 ） ; （2） The E2 protein level was higher in gastric carcinoma tissues with lymph node metastasis （0. 2532 ± 0. 0667 ） than in those without lymph node metastasis （0. 1883 ± 0. 0673 ,P 〈0. 05）. The expression of E2 protein in TNM stages Ⅰ, Ⅱ ,Ⅲ, Ⅳ respectively was （0. 1813 ±0.0686）, （0.2111 ±0.0633）, （0.2534 ±0.0727）, （0.2595 ±0.0540）; （3） The 17β-HSD2 mRNA transcription level was higher in gastric carcinoma tissues of men （0. 8645 ± 0. 3415） than in those of women （0. 6145 ± 0. 4479 ,P 〈 0. 05 ） and the same positive relationship was observed between the well differentiation and the poorer differentiation. Conclusion The tumorigenesis and progression of gastric carcinoma has an important correlation with up-regulated E2 protein expression level and down-regulated 17β-HSD2 mRNA transcription level. Key words: Gastric carcinoma ; Estradiol ; Testosterone