Significance of heparanase mRNA expression in gastric carcinoma tissues

    CAI Yongª²Guo, FANG Dianª²Chun, YANG Shiª²Ming, LUO Yuanª²Hui, YANG Mengª²Hua, WANG Dongª²Xu

    Department of Gastroenterology, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To explore the human heparanase mRNA expression and its relationship with the clinicopathological characteristics in gastric carcinomas. METHODS: The expression of heparanase mRNA in gastric cancerous tissues and its corresponding adjacent tissues were detected by RTª²PCR in fortyª²seven patients. RESULTS: The expression of heparanse mRNA was significantly higher in gastric cancerous tissues than that in its adjacent tissues (74.5% vs 19.1%, P<0.01). Further investigations indicated that the positive rate of heparanse expression in tumors was correlated with the tumor diameter, invasive depth, regional lymph nodes metastasis and TNM stage, whereas it was not correlated with gender, age, tumor¬ðs differentiation and remote metastasis of the patient. CONCLUSION: Increased heparanase expression contributes to the growth, invasion and metastasis of gastric carcinoma and correlates with poor clinicopathologic prognosis. ......