Twist1 correlates with poor differentiation and progression in gastric adenocarcinoma via elevation of FGFR2 expression

Figure 2 High Twist1 and fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 expression is significantly associated with poor differentiation in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines. Poorly differentiated gastric cancer has higher Twist1 (A) and fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) 2 (B) mRNA than well/moderately differentiated adenocarcinomas. Twist1 and FGFR2 mRNAs of 23 cases of well/moderately differentiated adenocarcinomas and 29 cases of poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas were detected by QPCR. The mean Twist1 and FGFR2 mRNA levels in well/moderately differentiated adenocarcinomas was set as baseline, and mRNA level in poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas was standardized with ratio to the baseline. The difference between poorly and well/moderately differentiated adenocarcinomas was analyzed by Student’s t test (C). Twist1 and FGFR2 expression in cell lines with different stages of differentiation was detected by immunoblotting. Poorly differentiated SNU-1 and SNU-6 cells had higher Twist1 and FGFR2 levels than well-differentiated MKN7 and MKN28 cells. Twist1 (D) and FGFR2 (E) mRNA levels in cell lines with different stages of differentiation were detected by QPCR. D: mRNA of Twist1 in SNU-1 cells was significantly higher than in MKN28 cells; E: mRNA of FGFR2 in SNU-1 or SNU-16 cells was significantly higher than in MKN7 or MKN28 cells. Data from three independent experiments were analyzed by Student’s t test and displayed as mean ± SE. ^aP < 0.05, SNU-1 vs MKN7/MKN28; ^cP < 0.05, SNU-16 vs MKN7/MKN28.