Yeung P, Lee C S, Marr P, Sarris M, Fenton-Lee D
Department of Surgery, Sutherland Hospital, Caringbah, New South Wales, Australia.
Aust N Z J Surg. 1998 Mar;68(3):180-2. doi: 10.1111/j.1445-2197.1998.tb04740.x.
The gene Nm23 is thought to play a role in the suppression of tumour metastasis. Reduced expression of Nm23 is seen in a number of human cancers, and is associated with increased metastasis and reduced survival, most strongly in ductal breast and colorectal carcinomas.
Nm23 gene expression was compared in gastric carcinoma and normal gastric mucosa. Twenty-three gastric carcinomas were graded for differentiation as either well, moderately or poorly differentiated. Metastatic deposits from seven of the cases were also examined, along with 10 samples of normal gastric mucosa. Specimens were incubated with a murine monoclonal antibody against the protein product of Nm23, and examined by immunohistochemical staining. A semiquantitative immunostaining index was used.
All normal mucosa showed moderate to strong staining; 8 of 15 poorly differentiated carcinomas showed absent or weak staining; 1 of 6 moderately differentiated carcinomas stained weakly. Both well-differentiated carcinomas stained strongly; 1 of 7 metastatic deposits stained weakly. The difference in Nm23 expression between normal mucosa and carcinomas was statistically significant (P=0.024). However, there was no statistically significant difference between the three grades of carcinomas (P=0.51), or between primary and metastatic tumour (P=0.25, all by Chi-squared test).
These results suggest that Nm23 may have a role in gastric carcinoma pathogenesis, but do not show a correlation with metastasis. A larger study, involving detailed clinical staging and follow-up, may be of benefit.
Nm23基因被认为在抑制肿瘤转移中发挥作用。在许多人类癌症中都可见Nm23表达降低，并且与转移增加和生存率降低相关，在乳腺导管癌和结直肠癌中最为明显。
比较胃癌组织和正常胃黏膜中Nm23基因的表达。对23例胃癌进行分化程度分级，分为高分化、中分化或低分化。还检查了其中7例的转移灶，以及10份正常胃黏膜样本。将标本与抗Nm23蛋白产物的鼠单克隆抗体孵育，并通过免疫组织化学染色进行检查。使用半定量免疫染色指数。
所有正常黏膜均显示中度至强染色；15例低分化癌中有8例显示无染色或弱染色；6例中分化癌中有1例染色较弱。2例高分化癌均染色较强；7个转移灶中有1个染色较弱。正常黏膜与癌组织中Nm23表达的差异具有统计学意义（P = 0.024）。然而，三种分化程度的癌之间（P = 0.51），或原发肿瘤与转移瘤之间（P = 0.25，均通过卡方检验）均无统计学意义。
这些结果表明Nm23可能在胃癌发病机制中起作用，但与转移无关。一项涉及详细临床分期和随访的更大规模研究可能会有所帮助。
