Transforming growth factor alpha expression in normal gastric mucosa, intestinal metaplasia, dysplasia and gastric carcinoma--an immunohistochemical study

Histopathology. 1992 Apr;20(4):339-43. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2559.1992.tb00991.x.

Abstract

Using a monoclonal antibody (GF10) and a standard immunohistochemical technique, immuno-expression of transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-alpha) was found consistently within the differentiated compartment of normal adult human gastric mucosa. In 70% of mucosal samples exhibiting intestinal metaplasia there was more or less uniform TGF-alpha immunoreactivity throughout the intestinalized mucosa. Similarly, 60% of cases of dysplasia and 60% of gastric carcinomas showed strong immunoreactivity in most of the cells. However, whereas 93% of intestinal-type cancers showed strong immunoreactivity only 30% of the diffuse type were stained and then only weakly. Transforming growth factor alpha expression is thus a fairly regular feature of several types of differentiated gastric epithelia (normal, metaplastic, dysplastic and intestinal-type carcinoma), while its relative absence may be a factor in the histogenesis of the diffuse type of gastric carcinoma.

MeSH terms

  • Gastric Mucosa / chemistry*
  • Gastric Mucosa / pathology
  • Humans
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Intestines / chemistry*
  • Intestines / pathology
  • Metaplasia / metabolism
  • Stomach Neoplasms / chemistry*
  • Stomach Neoplasms / pathology
  • Transforming Growth Factor alpha / analysis*

Substances

  • Transforming Growth Factor alpha