LOCALIZATION OF EXPRESSION OF FIBROBLAST GROWTH-FACTORS AND THEIR RECEPTORS IN PANCREATIC ADENOCARCINOMA BY IN-SITU HYBRIDIZATION

Growth factors may play a role in autocrine or paracrine growth contro l of tumour cells. We have now examined the expression pattern in vivo by in situ hybridization (ISH) on a series of 13 ductal adenocarcinom as of the pancreas using the non-radioactive digoxigenin system to gen erate specific antisense orientated riboprobes for FGF-1 and FGF-2, an d the four FGFRs (FGFR-1, -2, -3 and -4). We confirmed the expression of both FGF/FGFR by tumour cells, with the potential of a potential au tocrine loops in 46% of the cases studied. FGF-2 and FGFR-3 were the m ost commonly expressed ligand and receptor (46% and 76% respectively). Endothelial cells lining vessels within an around invasive tumours we re frequently positive for expression of FGFR-1 and/or FGFR-3. In the normal pancreas remote from the tumour, the acinar cells were found to have a heterogeneous expression pattern for FGFRs while duct cells, i slet cells and stromal components including nerves and vascular endoth elium were negative. The data suggest a role for FGFs and their high a ffinity receptors in the control of growth of human pancreatic adenoca rcinoma and its supporting stroma.