EXPRESSION OF TRANSFORMING-GROWTH-FACTOR BETA-1 (TGF-BETA-1) AND ITS RECEPTORS IN PANCREATIC DUCT CELL-CARCINOMA AND IN CHRONIC-PANCREATITIS

Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF beta 1) is a multifunctional fa ctor that regulates many aspects of cellular functions such as epithel ial cell growth and synthesis of extracellular matrices. TGF beta tran sduces signaling through a heterodimeric complex of type I and type II TGF beta receptors (T beta RI and T beta RII). Recently, it has been shown that enhanced expression of TGF beta 1 is associated with the pr ogress of pancreatic duct cell carcinoma (PDC) and chronic pancreatiti s (CP). In this study, the expression of TGF beta 1 and its receptors, T beta RI and T beta RII, is examined in 21 cases of PDC by immunohis tochemistry using specific antibodies, and the results are compared wi th those for 13 cases of CP. In the epithelial cells of PDC and CP, th ere are no significant differences in the expression of TGF beta 1, T beta RI, and T beta RII. In contrast, stromal expression of this cytok ine and its receptors tends to be stronger in PDC than in CP; especial ly, the expression of T beta RII is significantly stronger in PDC (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that there are some pathological differ ences in the properties of stromal reactions between PDC and CP, altho ugh the morphologies of their stroma resemble each other.