Expression of nitric oxide synthase in gastric cancer

• Published in: Cancer letters 1999-10, Vol.144 (2), p.161-167
• Main Authors: Doi, Chiharu, Noguchi, Yoshikazu, Marat, Doulet, Saito, Aya, Fukuzawa, Kuniyasu, Yoshikawa, Takaki, Tsuburaya, Akira, Ito, Takaaki
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Blotting, Western; Endothelial nitric oxide synthase; Endothelium, Vascular - enzymology; Gastric cancer; Gastric Mucosa - blood supply; Gastric Mucosa - enzymology; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Inducible nitric oxide synthase; Interleukin-6; Interleukin-6 - biosynthesis; Medical sciences; Nitric Oxide Synthase - biosynthesis; Nitric Oxide Synthase - immunology; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Stomach Neoplasms - blood supply; Stomach Neoplasms - enzymology; Stomach Neoplasms - pathology; Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus; Tumor necrosis factor alpha; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - biosynthesis; Tumors
• ISSN: 0304-3835; 1872-7980
• DOI: 10.1016/S0304-3835(99)00222-0

The expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in samples of normal gastric mucosa and gastric cancer were examined by reverse transcriptase-ploymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and semiquantitative Western blot. In normal gastric mucosa, eNOS protein was found in all samples examined (mean, 70.2±60.1), relative to a standard protein. In gastric cancer specimens, eNOS protein was also detected in all samples, but the quantity ( 86.5±76.6) was not different from that found in samples of normal mucosa. The quantity of eNOS in gastric cancer tissues was negatively correlated with serosal invasion. iNOS mRNA, detected in nine of 18 cases, was slightly related to massive lymph node metastasis (n1–3 vs. n4). Neither tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) mRNA nor interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA was related to the expression of iNOS mRNA. These results suggest that iNOS not eNOS plays a role in gastric cancer tumor extension, but iNOS mRNA appears not to be induced by either TNF-alpha or IL-6.