Brief Reports
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2005. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Aug 21, 2005; 11(31): 4918-4922
Published online Aug 21, 2005. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v11.i31.4918
Increased expression of cyclooxygenase-2 in first-degree relatives of gastric cancer patients
Jin-Ting Zhang, Ming-Wei Wang, Zhen-Long Zhu, Xiao-Hui Huo, Jian-Kun Chu, Dong-Sheng Cui, Liang Qiao, Jun Yu
Jin-Ting Zhang, Ming-Wei Wang, Zhen-Long Zhu, Xiao-Hui Huo, Jian-Kun Chu, Dong-Sheng Cui, Jun Yu, Department of Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang 050017, Hebei Province, China
Liang Qiao, Jun Yu, Storr Liver Unit, Westmead Millennium Institute, University of Sydney at Westmead Hospital, NSW 2145, Sydney, Australia
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 30370637
Correspondence to: Dr. Jun Yu, Storr Liver Unit, Westmead Millennium Institute, University of Sydney at Westmead Hospital, NSW 2145, Sydney, Australia. jun_yu@wmi.usyd.edu.au
Telephone: +61-2-98459142 Fax: +61-2-98459103
Received: January 4, 2005
Revised: January 23, 2005
Accepted: January 26, 2005
Published online: August 21, 2005
Abstract

AIM: To study the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in human gastric cancer tissues and their paired adjacent mucosa, as well as mucosa from gastric antrum and corpus of the first-degree relatives of the recruited cancer patients.

METHODS: The expression of COX-2 mRNA in 38 patients with gastric cancer and their 29 first-degree relatives and 18 healthy controls was assessed by the real time RT-PCR. The expression of COX-2 protein was determined by Western blot.

RESULTS: A marked increase in COX-2 mRNA expression was found in 20 of 37 (54%) cancerous tissues compared to their respective paired normal mucosa (P<0.001). Interestingly, increased COX-2 mRNA expression was also found in mucosa of the corpus (6/29) and antrum (13/29) of their first-degree relatives. Increased COX-2 mRNA expression was more frequently observed in the antrum biopsies from cancer patients than in the antrum biopsies from healthy controls (P<0.05). In addition, 3 of 23 (13%) patients with atrophic mucosa and 6 of 35 (17%) patients with intestinal metaplasia showed increased COX-2 mRNA expression. Furthermore, COX-2 expression increased in H pylori-positive tissues, especially in antrum mucosa.

CONCLUSION: Increased COX-2 expression is involved in gastric carcinogenesis, and may be necessary for maintenance of the malignant phenotype and contribute to Helicobacter pylori-associated malignant transformation.

Keywords: Gastric cancer; First-degree relatives; COX-2; H pylori