INCREASED EXPRESSION OF KERATINOCYTE GROWTH-FACTOR IN HUMAN PANCREATIC-CANCER

Keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) is a member of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) group of heparin-binding polypeptides. In the present stu dy we sought to determine whether KGF is expressed in human pancreatic cancers. Using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PC R), a cDNA fragment of KGF was cloned and used to analyze Northern blo ts of RNA isolated from normal and cancerous human pancreatic tissues. Seven of 16 (44%) pancreatic cancer samples revealed significant over expression of the 2.4 kilobase KGF mRNA transcript by comparison with the normal pancreas. Northern blot analysis failed to reveal the KGF t ranscript in several cultured human pancreatic cancer cell lines. Howe ver, by PCR analysis, some of the cell lines expressed KGF mRNA. Furth ermore, 5 of 7 tested cell lines expressed the KGF receptor, and the g rowth of one cell line was enhanced by human recombinant KGF. These re sults suggest that KGF may participate in aberrant paracrine and autoc rine pathways in human pancreatic cancer. (C) 1995 Academic Press, Inc .