Patterns of expression of trefoil peptides and mucins in gastric polyps with and without malignant transformation

Expression of estrogen inducing gene PS2/TFF1 in gastric cancer and precancerous lesions

AIM

To determine the significance of PS2/TFF1 protein expression in chronic superficial gastritis (CSG), gastric ulcer (GU),gastric mucosal intestinal metaplasia (IM), gastric mucosal dysplasia and gastric cancer(GC).

METHODS

Pathologic specimens of 121 patients with gastric mucosal diseases and 20 healthy volunteers were immunostained for PS2/TFF1.

RESULTS

Positive PS2/TFF1 staining was seen throughout all epithelia with normal gastric mucosas, CSG, GU and in complete type of intestinal metaplasia (20/21). On the contrary, 11 of 20 incomplete type of intestinal metaplasia had positive staining (P <0.01). The expressions of PS2/TFF1 protein in CSG and GU were significantly higher than that in control group (P <0.01), while the expressions of PS2/TFF1 protein in IM,gastric mucosal dysplasia and GC were obviously lower than that in control group (P <0.01).

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that PS2/TFF1 may play an important role in gastric mucosal protection,and loss of PS2/TFF1 expression may occur as an early event in the malignant transformation process of intestinal-type tumors.

Expression of TFF2 and Helicobacter pylori infection in carcinogenesis of gastric mucosa

AIM: To investigate the expression of TFF2 and Helicobacter pylori infection in carcinogenesis of gastric mucosa.

METHODS: The expression of TFF2 was immunohistochemically analyzed in paraffin-embedded samples from 119 patients with endoscopic biopsy and subtotal gastrectomy specimens of gastric mucosal lesions, including 16 cases of chronic superficial gastritis (CSG), 20 chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG), 35 intestinal metaplasia (IM), 23 gastric epithelial dysplasia (GED) and 25 gastric carcinoma (CA), and Helicobacter pylori infection was detected by Warthin-Starry staining.

RESULTS: 1: TFF2 was located in the cytoplasm of gastric mucous neck cell. The expression of TFF2 was 100%, 100%, 0, 56.5% and 0 in CSGs, CAGs, IMs, GEDs and CAs, respectively. 2: The value of TFF2 positive cell density in CSG with Helicobacter pylori infection was higher than that without Helicobacter pylori infection. (52.89 ± 7.27vs 46.49 ± 13.04, P > 0.05); But the value of TFF2 positive cell density in CAG and GED with Helicobacter pylori infection was significantly lower than that without Helicobacter pylori infection (18.17 ± 4.09vs 37.93 ± 13.80, P < 0.01 and 14.44 ± 9.32vs 24.84 ± 10.22, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION: Increase of TFF2 expression in CSG is perhaps associated with the protective mechanism after gastric mucosal injury. Decrease of TFF2 expression in CAG possibly attributes to the decrease in the number of gastric gland cell expressing TFF2. Re-expression of TFF2 in gastric epithelial dysplasia implies that TFF2 possibly contributes to the initiation of gastric carcinoma. The effect of Helicobacter pylori on the expression of TFF2 depends on the status of gastric mucosa.