Clinical Research
Copyright ©2006 Baishideng Publishing Group Co., Limited. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Sep 21, 2006; 12(35): 5687-5691
Published online Sep 21, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i35.5687
Expressions of sonic hedgehog, patched, smoothened and Gli-1 in human intestinal stromal tumors and their correlation with prognosis
Ayumi Yoshizaki, Toshiyuki Nakayama, Shinji Naito, Chun-Yang Wen, Ichiro Sekine
Ayumi Yoshizaki, Toshiyuki Nakayama, Ichiro Sekine, Chun Yang Wen, Department of Molecular Pathology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan
Shinji Naito, Division of Pathology, Research Laboratory, National Ureshino Medical Center, Saga, Japan
Chun-Yang Wen, Department of Digestive Disease, Affiliated Hospital of Beihua University, Jilin 132011, Jilin Province, China
Co-first-author: Toshiyuki Nakayama
Correspondence to: Toshiyuki Nakayama, MD, Department of Molecular Pathology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki 852-8523, Japan. toshi-n@nagasaki-u.ac.jp
Telephone: +81-95-8497107 Fax: +81-95-8497108
Received: March 7, 2006
Revised: May 15, 2006
Accepted: May 24, 2006
Published online: September 21, 2006
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the role that the hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway, which includes sonic hedgehog (Shh), Patched (Ptc), Smoothened (Smo) and Gli-1, plays in human gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs).

METHODS: Surgically resected specimens from patients with GISTs, leiomyomas and schwannomas were examined by immunohistochemical staining for aberrant expression of hedgehog signaling components, Shh, Ptc, Smo and Gli-1, respectively.

RESULTS: In GISTs, 58.1% (18 of 31), 77.4% (24 of 31), 80.6% (25 of 31) and 58.1% (18 of 31) of the specimens stained positive for Shh, Ptc, Smo and Gli-1, respectively. In leiomyomas, 92.3% (12 of 13), 92.3% (12 of 13), 69.2% (9 of 13) and 92.3% (12 of 13) stained positive for Shh, Ptc, Smo and Gli-1, respectively. In schwannomas, 83.3% (5 of 6), 83.3% (5 of 6), 83.3% (5 of 6) and 100% (6 of 6) stained positive for Shh, Ptc, Smo and Gli-1, respectively. Immunohistochemistry revealed that the expressions of Shh and Gli-1 were significantly higher in leiomyomas than in GISTs (P < 0.05, respectively). Shh expression strongly correlated with the grade of tumor risk category and with tumor size (P < 0.05, respectively). However, the expressions of Ptc and Smo did not correlate with histopathological differentiation.

CONCLUSION: These results suggest that the Hh signaling pathway may play an important role in myogenic differentiation and the malignant potential of human intestinal stromal tumors.

Keywords: Gastrointestinal stromal tumor; Leiomyoma; Schwannoma; Hedgehog; Immunohistochemistry