YAKHAK HOEJI (약학회지)

The Pharmaceutical Society of Korea (대한약학회)
권호 표지

The Overexpression of Oncogenic Nemo-like Kinase in Gastric Cancer

위암에서 새로운 종양원인 유전자 Nemo-like Kinase의 발현 증가

  • Kim, Min Gyu (Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea) ;
  • Jung, Kwang Hwa (Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea) ;
  • Nam, Suk Woo (Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea)
  • 김민규 (가톨릭대학교 의과대 가톨릭대학교 의과대학 병리학교실) ;
  • 정광화 (가톨릭대학교 의과대 가톨릭대학교 의과대학 병리학교실) ;
  • 남석우 (가톨릭대학교 의과대 가톨릭대학교 의과대학 병리학교실)
  • Received : 2012.09.10
  • Accepted : 2012.11.19
  • Published : 2012.12.31
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Abstract

Nemo-like kinase (NLK), an evolutionarily conserved serine/threonine protein kinase, plays an important role in wide variety of developmental events. NLK phosphorylates T-cell factor/lymphoid enhancer factor (TCF/LEF) transcriptional complex and suppresses wnt signaling pathway through inhibition of ${\beta}$-catenin/TCF complex interaction. However, the function of NLK in gastric carcinogenesis has not been investigated. In the present study, we have examined whether the NLK gene is involved in the development and/or progression of gastric cancers. NLK expression was analyzed by immunohistochemical staining in 153 advanced gastric cancer specimens. Immunhistochemical analysis showed increased expression of NLK in 91 (59.5%) out of 153 gastric cancer specimens. Statistically, there was no significant relationship between altered expression of NLK protein and clinicopathological parameters, including tumor differentiation, location, lymph node metastasis. We identified that mRNA and protein expression of NLK was significantly up-regulated in human gastric cancer tissues compare to corresponding normal gastric tissues. In addition, we found that human gastric cancer cell lines exhibited relatively high expression of NLK, as compared with normal gastric cells. The results of this study suggest that aberrant regulation of NLK may contribute to the development or progression of gastric cancers and serve as a potential biomarker for advanced gastric cancer patients.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

Supported by : 한국연구재단

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