Roles of the transforming growth factor beta 1 and its type I and II receptors in the development of a pulmonary adenocarcinoma: results of an immunohistochemical study.

BACKGROUND

In the United States, pulmonary adenocarcinomas have recently replaced squamous cell carcinomas as the most frequent type of lung cancer encountered. The incidence of pulmonary adenocarcinoma continued to increase worldwide.

METHOD

To determine the roles of the transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1), and TGF-beta type I receptor (T beta R-I), and the TGF-beta type II receptor (T beta R-II) in the progression of a pulmonary adenocarcinoma, their respective expressions have been immunohistologically studied in specimens from 120 pulmonary adenocarcinoma patients.

RESULT

The overall prognosis was significantly poorer for patients showing positive TGF-beta 1, T beta R-I, T beta R-II expressions than for patients who were negative to all three immunostainings (P < 0.01). Our multivariate analysis also revealed that a positive TGF-beta 1 response significantly affect prognosis (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

TGF-beta 1, T beta R-I, and T beta R-II play important roles in tumor progression, and a positive TGF-beta 1 expression can serve as a pulmonary adenocarcinoma marker. T beta R-I and T beta R-II expressions are necessary for TGF-beta signal transduction.