Expression of basic fibroblast growth factor and its receptor in human pancreatic carcinomas.

T Ohta,Y Tsukioka,M Kayahara,I Miyazaki,Y Yoshitake,M Numata,T Nagakawa,K Nishikawa,S Iseki,M Yamamoto,T Miyashita

doi:10.1038/bjc.1995.420

Abstract

We examined the expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and FGF receptor by immunohistochemistry in 32 human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas. Mild to marked basic FGF immunoreactivity was noted in 19 (59.4%) of the 32 tumours examined, and 30 (93.3%) of the tumours exhibited a cytoplasmic staining pattern against FGF receptor. The tumours were divided into two groups according to the proportion of positively stained tumour cells: a low expression group (positive cells < 25%) and a high expression group (positive cells > or = 25%). No statistically significant difference in tumour size, differentiation, metastases or stage was found between the low and high basic FGF expression groups. However, a significant correlation was found between FGF receptor expression level and the presence of retroperitoneal invasion, lymph node metastasis, and tumour stage. In addition, low FGF receptor expression was significantly associated with a longer post-operative survival as compared with high FGF receptor expression, whereas there was no significant difference in post-operative survival between the low and high basic FGF expression groups. Increased expression of FGF receptor is correlated with the extent of malignancy and post-operative survival in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas. Thus, overexpression of FGF receptor may prove to be a more useful prognostic marker than basic FGF expression level in pancreatic cancer patients.

Highlights

We examined the immunohistochemical localisation of basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and its receptor in human pancreatic carcinomas and normal pancreatic tissues at the light and electron mic
We demonstrated the presence of basic FGF and FGF receptor expression in human pancreatic cancers and normal pancreatic tissues by immunocyto- and immunohistochemistry
In the human pancreatic cancers minimal to marked basic FGF immunoreactivity was noted in 19 (59.4%) of the 32 tumours and 30 (93.8%) tumours showed minimal to marked cytoplasmic staining for FGF receptor

Summary

Patients and tissue specimens

The present study included 32 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas surgically resected between 1987 and 1993. In most sections of normal pancreas, moderate basic FGF immunoreactivity was present in a heterogeneous pattern in acinar cells. It was most important at the basal aspect of the acinar cells (Figure 2a). Sections immunostained using the three-step indirect tumours exhibited cytoplasmic immunoreactivity (Figure immunoperoxidase method described above were post-fixed 3a,b), while the other eight showed predominantly nuclear with 0.5% osmium tetroxide for 20 min at room temperature. The cumulative survival rate was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier associated chronic pancreatitis, there was a considerable increase in basic FGF immunoreactivity in the atrophied acinar and ductal cells in comparison with normal pancreas. The difference was considered to be Most sections of normal pancreas showed intense cytoplassignificant when P < 0.05

Number proportion intensity pattern proportion intensity

Immunoelectron microscopy for basic FGF

Survival analysis

Findings

Discussion

Liver metastasis Negative Positive