Insulin-like growth factor 1 serum levels in different stages of gastric cancer and their association with Helicobacter pylori status

• Published in: Peptides (New York, N.Y. : 1980) N.Y. : 1980), 2022-12, Vol.158, p.170892-170892, Article 170892
• Main Authors: Ghafari, Fatemeh, Alizadeh, Ali Mohammad, Agah, Shahram, Irani, Shiva, Mokhtare, Marjan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: blood serum; Gastric cancer; Helicobacter Infections - blood; Helicobacter Infections - complications; Helicobacter pylori; Humans; immunohistochemistry; Insulin-like growth factor 1; insulin-like growth factor I; Insulin-Like Growth Factor I - metabolism; insulin-like growth factor I receptor; mitogen-activated protein kinase; neoplasm progression; quantitative polymerase chain reaction; risk; Stage; stomach neoplasms; Stomach Neoplasms - blood; Stomach Neoplasms - microbiology; Stomach Neoplasms - pathology; therapeutics
• ISSN: 0196-9781; 1873-5169
• DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2022.170892

High serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and positive Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) may increase the risk of gastric cancer (GC). We aimed to investigate IGF-1 serum levels in different stages of GC patients and their association with H. pylori status. A total of 90 participants, including 60 GC patients and 30 noncancerous (NC) individuals, were included in the present study. IGF-1 serum levels and candidate proteins were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent and immunohistochemistry techniques. Likewise, Giemsa staining was applied to detect H. pylori infection. The candidate genes' expression, including IGF-1R, PI3KCA, AKT1, mTOR1, KRAS, BRAF, and ERK1, was also evaluated by a real-time PCR assay. The results of advanced GC stages indicated a significantly high IHC score for IGF-1R and phosphorylated AKT, mTOR, and ERK proteins compared to the early stages. Moreover, IGF-1 serum levels and the expression of candidate genes were considerably increased in the advanced GC patients compared to the early stages and the positive H. pylori status compared to the negative H. pylori status (P < 0.05). As a result, high IGF-1 serum levels and positive H. pylori status may be correlated with gastric tumor progression, and the inhibition of IGF-1 and the eradication of H. pylori infection might be new therapeutic targets in GC patients. [Display omitted] •A high serum level of IGF-1 and H. pylori can increase the risk of gastric tumors.•H. pylori may lead to higher serum IGF-1 levels.•In gastric cells, H. pylori and IGF-1 can induce PI3K/Akt-mTOR and Ras/Raf/ERK pathways.•Inhibiting H. pylori and IGF-1 may be a new therapeutic target in gastric tumors.