Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UNIPROT:P10721 (c-kit)
 6,575 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We report a schwannoma of the gallbladder in a 58-year-old man who was diagnosed as cholecystolithiasis. He presented with recurrent episodes of abdominal pain in the right upper quadrant. The abdominal computed tomography scan and ultrasonography revealed stones about 15 mm in diameter in the gallbladder. Under the diagnosis of cholecystolithiasis, laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed. The resected specimen showed chronic cholecystitis and no suspicion of neoplasm. Pathological examination revealed that the tumor consist of spindle cells without atypical appearance at small area of fundus. Immunohistologically, tumor cells were positive for S-100 protein and negative for alpha-SMA and c-kit, the lesion was diagnosed as schwannoma.
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PMID:Schwannoma of the gallbladder: report of a case. 2148 54

Cholecystolithiasis is a common disease, and gallbladder dysmotility is considered as a pivotal pathogenesis. Interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) serve as pacemakers and mediators of neuromuscular transmission for gastrointestinal motility. Reduction of ICCs has been reported in gallstone diseases. However, there are no reasonable mechanisms for the cholecystolithiasis-associated loss of ICCs in humans. Stem cell factor (SCF) and its ligand c-kit are essential for normal development and survival of ICCs. To date, little is known about the SCF/c-kit signaling pathway in gallstone diseases. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of the SCF/c-kit signaling pathway in the loss of ICCs in cholecystolithiasis. Data from 18 patients with gallstones and 14 individuals without gallstones were compared. The gallbladder contractility was assessed by measuring the gallbladder ejection fraction (GEF) ultrasonographically. Tissues samples were obtained during surgery, changes of ICC quantities were analyzed by immunohistochemistry, and the mRNA and protein expression of SCF and c-kit were detected by Real-Time PCR and Western-blot analysis. Compared with the controls, the GEF was significantly reduced in the gallstone group, and decreased number of ICCs was present obviously in the gallstone group. Furthermore, the mRNA and protein expression of SCF and c-kit were significantly attenuated in the gallstone group. These data indicate that gallbladder motility may be affected by reduction of ICCs in gallstone disease. Additionally, the decreased of SCF/c-kit signaling pathway play an important role in the loss of ICCs.
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PMID:Decreased SCF/c-kit signaling pathway contributes to loss of interstitial cells of Cajal in gallstone disease. 2555 Sep 19