摘要
BACKGROUND:Regulatory peptide receptors have attracted the interest of oncologists as a new promising approach for cancer pathology,imaging and therapy.Although cholecystokinin (CCK) is a potent modulator of gallbladder contractility and plays a potential role in pancreatic carcinogenesis through CCK type-A receptor (CCKAR),its role in gallbladder cancer (GBC) is still unknown and immunohistochemical detection of CCKAR in the gallbladder has not yet been reported.This novel case-control study aimed to investigate the expression profile of CCKAR in GBC and gallstone disease (GSD).METHODS:This study included 162 samples of gallbladder:94 from GBC and 68 from GSD.Expression of CCKAR was analyzed by immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting.The results were statistically correlated with disease history including age,sex,presence of gallstone,stage and differentiation.RESULTS:CCKAR was positive in 30/68 (44.1%) of GSD and 72/94 (76.6%) of GBC samples.Fifty-one of the 72 (70.8%) CCKAR-positive GBC samples showed over-expression.Interestingly,consistent results also appeared in the immunoblotting study.CONCLUSIONS:CCKAR expression was significantly increased in GBC compared to GSD.Moreover,CCKAR expression was associated with the degree of tumor differentiation,i.e.,less expression in poorly-differentiated tumors.Thus,it has future prognostic and therapeutic implications in the management of GBC.
BACKGROUND:Regulatory peptide receptors have attracted the interest of oncologists as a new promising approach for cancer pathology,imaging and therapy.Although cholecystokinin (CCK) is a potent modulator of gallbladder contractility and plays a potential role in pancreatic carcinogenesis through CCK type-A receptor (CCKAR),its role in gallbladder cancer (GBC) is still unknown and immunohistochemical detection of CCKAR in the gallbladder has not yet been reported.This novel case-control study aimed to investigate the expression profile of CCKAR in GBC and gallstone disease (GSD).METHODS:This study included 162 samples of gallbladder:94 from GBC and 68 from GSD.Expression of CCKAR was analyzed by immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting.The results were statistically correlated with disease history including age,sex,presence of gallstone,stage and differentiation.RESULTS:CCKAR was positive in 30/68 (44.1%) of GSD and 72/94 (76.6%) of GBC samples.Fifty-one of the 72 (70.8%) CCKAR-positive GBC samples showed over-expression.Interestingly,consistent results also appeared in the immunoblotting study.CONCLUSIONS:CCKAR expression was significantly increased in GBC compared to GSD.Moreover,CCKAR expression was associated with the degree of tumor differentiation,i.e.,less expression in poorly-differentiated tumors.Thus,it has future prognostic and therapeutic implications in the management of GBC.
基金
supported by a grant from the Indian Council of Medical Research(ICMR Project Ref No.3/2/2/187/2009/NCD-Ⅲ)