Abstract

The immunohistochemical expression of transforming growth factor-beta(TGF-beta), epidermal growth factor(EGF) and alpha-1-antitrypsin(AAT) was studied in 47cases of endoscopic biopsy matearials of gastric carcinoma to determine me correlation to the expression of alpha fetoprotein(AFP). And immunoreactivity of the antigens was correlated to me degree of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and histologic differentiation of the tumors. And the results were analyzed to elucidate pathological AFP-producing gastric cancer. The results were summarized as follows. AFP immunoreactivity was demonstrated in 30 cases(63.8%) of the tumors, TGF-beta in 26 cases(55.3%), EGF in l4 cases(29.8%) and AAT in l0 cases(21.3%). The incidence of expression of the antigens was significantly higher in the cases of elevated serum AFP(>2ng/ml) than that of the cases with normal serum AFP(p<0.05). There was no relation between the expression of antigens and histological differentiation of gastric cancer. The expression of AFP and TGF-beta revealed good correlation(k=0.72). The relation between expression of TGF-beta and AAT and the degree of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes disclosed negative correlation(p<0.05). These results suggest that TGF-beta and AAT prodution contribute to the worse prognosis of AFP-producting gastric cancer. Possible immunosuppressive action of TGF-beta and AAT in the cancer tissue is discussed.

• Keywords: Alpha fetoprotein;Transforming growth factor-beta;Epidermal growth factor;Alpha-l-Antitrypsin;Gastric cancer;Immunohistochemistry;Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes