GASTRIN RECEPTOR GENE-EXPRESSION IN SEVERAL HUMAN CARCINOMAS

Gastrin has been shown to enhance the growth of various human tumors. The present study was designed to examine the gastrin receptor gene ex pression in various human carcinoma cell lines and in surgically resec ted carcinoma tissues. By Northern blot analysis, gastrin receptor mRN A was detected in 3 out of 7 small cell lung carcinoma cell lines. Gas trin receptor mRNA was also expressed in one out of 8 colon carcinoma cell lines and 2 out of 10 colon carcinoma tissues. Moreover, one of t wo small cell carcinoma cell lines of the stomach clearly expressed ga strin receptor mRNA. However, none of the gastric adenocarcinoma cell lines or surgically resected gastric adenocarcinomas tested had any de tectable expression of gastrin receptor gene. These findings may sugge st a role of gastrin receptor in the growth and differentiation of cer tain human carcinomas.