INDUCTION AND EXPRESSION OF AMPHIREGULIN IN HUMAN PANCREATIC-CANCER

The epidermal growth factor receptor is activated by a family of polyp eptides that includes the growth factor amphiregulin (AR). Using North ern blot analysis and the polymerase chain reaction, we now report tha t AR mRNA is expressed in human pancreatic cancer cell lines, and that this expression is enhanced in several of these cell lines by tetrade canoyl phorbol acetate and transforming growth factor alpha. AR was al so expressed in normal and malignant pancreatic tissues. However, in t he normal pancreas, AR immunostaining was most evident in the nuclei o f ductal cells. In contrast, in many carcinomas, AR was also present i n the cytoplasm of the ductal-like cancer cells. Cytoplasmic localizat ion of AR was associated with a more advanced clinical stage. These fi ndings suggest that AR may contribute to aberrant activation of the ep idermal growth factor receptor in human pancreatic cancer, and may enh ance disease progression.