Expression significance of MUC1 in gastric carcinoma tissue

    YUAN Shiª²Fang, Ling Rui, Bian Jieª²Fang, YAO Qing, MA Zhong, LI Nanª²Ling, WANG Lin, ZHANG Yingª²Qi

    1Department of Vascular & Endocrine Surgery, Xijing Hospital, 2Biotechnology Center, Administration of Scientific Research, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi¬ðan 710033, China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To investigate the differences of MUC1 expression in gastric carcinoma, benign gastric diseases and normal tissue and to further explore its clinical significance. METHODS: The expression levels of MUC1 were examined by a detailed immunohistochemical analysis with MUC1 monoclonal antibody in 58 samples of gastric carcinoma, 26 samples of benign diseases tissues and 10 normal tissues. RESULTS: Immunohistochemical analysis showed that positive expression of MUC1 was detected in 46 cases of gastric carcinoma, which aberrantly localized in the cancer cell nucleus, and weak positive expression in 4 cases in different benign diseases tissues. There was no expression of MUC1 in normal gastric tissue. The expression level of MUC1 in gastric carcinoma was much higher compared with that in benign and normal tissue and there was a significant difference between the expressional levels in gastric carcinoma and those in benign and normal tissue (P<0.05). The positive expression levels of MUC1 in gastric carcinoma had no statistically significant correlation to the histological grade and location (P>0.05) but were significantly correlated to the clinical stage and lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the overª²expression and aberrantly localization of MUC1 in gastric carcinoma be used as a differentiating diagnostic marker of gastric carcinoma, and as the target of immunotherapy of gastric carcinoma. ......