Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UNIPROT:P15088 (mast cell)
 14,925 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We have occasionally experienced eosinophilic abscess of the liver in patients with gastric carcinoma, suggesting that some eosinophil mobilizing (chemotactic and proliferative) factors might be produced by carcinoma cells. The aim of this study was to determine whether or not gastric carcinoma expresses the well-known eosinophil chemotactic factors (ECFs) and whether or not the expression is related to the histologic subtypes. Seventeen consecutive surgically removed tumor-bearing stomachs were collected: 7 signet ring cell type, 7 poorly differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma, and 3 moderately differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma. Hematoxylin-eosin stained sections were re-evaluated for eosinophil and mast cell infiltration. The expression of IL-2, IL-5 and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) were examined by immunocytochemical stain. There was no available frozen tissue for IL-2 and IL-5 in one case. Gastric carcinoma expressed IL-2 in all 16 cases, IL-5 in 12 of 16 cases and GM-CSF in 10 of 17 cases. Of particular interest, 7 of 10 GM-CSF-expressing carcinomas were signet ring cell type. Even in the remaining 3 cases, most GM-CSF-positive cells were signet ring cells scattered within tubular adenocarcinoma. No correlation of ECF expression between either eosinophil/mast cell infiltration or peripheral blood eosinophilia was identified. In conclusion, most gastric carcinomas express the well-known ECFs and the expression of GM-CSF is specific for signet ring carcinoma cells.
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PMID:Expression of eosinophil chemotactic factors in stomach cancer. 1033 16

BACKGROUND: Increased numbers of mast cells are found in various solid tumors. To investigate the role of mast cells in the vicinity of gastric cancer cells, we used special staining and an immunohistochemical technique.METHODS: Specimens were surgically obtained from 102 patients with gastric cancer. Mast cells around the tumor edge of gastric cancer nests were counted by staining with 0.05% toluidine blue solution. Blood vessels in these areas were also counted, by immunohistochemical staining of endothelial cells for factor VIII.RESULTS: The average number of mast cells and blood vessels in gastric cancer specimens was significantly higher than that in normal gastric tissue. Specimens from patients with advanced disease with metastases to lymph nodes had more mast cells than specimens from patients with early-stage disease. Mast cells in specimens from patients with metastatic lymph nodes were significantly increased in comparison with numbers in specimens from those without nodal metastases. Mast cell numbers in the specimens of patients with lymphatic or blood vessel invasion were significantly higher than numbers in specimens from patients without such invasion. Mast cells were localized near the new vessels around gastric cancer cells. Mast cell numbers increased as the number of blood vessels increased (correlation coefficient, 0.783). Postoperative survival curves revealed that patients with increased numbers of mast cells had a poor prognosis.CONCLUSIONS: All these results suggest that mast cell accumulation at the tumor site may lead to increased rates of tumor vascularization and, consequently, increased rates of tumor growth and metastasis.
Gastric Cancer 1999 May
PMID:Mast cell infiltration around gastric cancer cells correlates with tumor angiogenesis and metastasis. 1195 67