Expression of the fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 in human normal tissues and tumors determined by a new monoclonal antibody.

OBJECTIVE

To characterize the distribution of the receptor for the fibroblast growth factor in human normal tissues and tumors using a new monoclonal antibody.

DESIGN

Monoclonal antibodies for a kinase-insert region of fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 (FGFR-1) were generated. We conducted an immunohistological analysis of FGFR-1 using a highly specific antibody we generated, and we examined the distribution of this receptor in normal human tissues and in tumors.

RESULTS

Intense positivity of FGFR-1 was observed in astrocytes in the brain, smooth muscles in the uterus, cardiac myocytes, respiratory epithelium in the lung, tubular epithelium in the kidney, acinar cells in the pancreas, follicular cells in the thyroid, and ductal and lobular epithelium in the breast. We also observed FGFR-1 expression in the fibroblasts and the tissue microvasculature. In addition to some nonepithelial tumors, some epithelial tumors expressed FGFR-1, including pancreatic adenocarcinomas, thyroid papillary carcinomas, invasive ductal carcinomas of the breast, lung adenocarcinomas, renal cell carcinomas, and colonic adenocarcinomas. Although FGFR-1 was expressed in colonic adenocarcinomas, which have invasive potential, tubular adenomas, which are noninvasive, did not express FGFR-1.

CONCLUSION

We have been able to define the distribution of FGFR-1 in human normal tissues and tumors. Especially in colonic tumors, FGFR-1 expression may lead adenoma cells to invade and grow in the surrounding tissue.